How to Love a Somebody
by LifesLover
Summary: Myde was only meant to be his charge. It never occured to Zexion that Myde would be what saved him from a meaningless Nobody existence. But can Zexion save Myde before he loses his heart and becomes a Nobody? /Zemyx. Rated for mature content/
1. Of Missions and Beautiful Men

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

A/N: I completely revamped How to Love a Somebody. All grammar mistakes have been fixed, and paragraphs have been chopped up. The original feel of the story has not been changed, so it will seem very familiar, but I do recommend re-reading it from the beginning. All original A/N have been taken off, but the dedications will be the same as before.

**Originally Published: 11/22/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

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**_How to Love a Somebody

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_**

_**Chapter One: Of Missions and Beautiful Men**_

To say that he was nervous was to only point out part of the problem. Myde was more than nervous. He was terrified. The terror and nervousness had mixed with another emotion that was their complete opposite; excitement. These three emotions had knotted into a tight ball and were now settling somewhere in the vicinity of his abdomen. Apparently very close to his bladder for he suddenly felt an almost uncontrollable urge to pee.

"Myde, you're up next." Damn. It looked like he wasn't going to get that bathroom break anytime soon.

Myde gulped and his hands clutched at his guitar spastically. How was he going to be able to do this? To stand up in front of all of those people and sing one of _his_ songs? One that he had written completely- both the lyrics and the music to accompany it? His breath shuddered in and out and he felt very close to throwing up. And he still hadn't gotten rid of that urge to pee yet.

'_Oh, god. What the hell am I doing? I can't do this. I suck. Oh, god, I should have practiced more. What if I forget what I'm playing half way through the performance? What if I just stand there and gawk at the people out there? Oh, my god, there are a lot of people out there.'_

Myde slowly backed away from the curtain partition. He wasn't ready for this. How could anybody be ready for this? A solo act in front of his peers was not what he had ever planned to do, damn it. The song was supposed to have stayed safely ensconced in his notebook where nobody but Myde was able to find it.

Stupid teachers and their meddlesome tendencies. It was their entire fault that he was up here about to have a heart attack from simple stage fright. He hated being up in front of people. People made him uncomfortable. Ok, not usually but this was a special case. A _very _special case. It wasn't every day that one got a chance, albeit one that wasn't particularly wanted, to perform a song that one had written by oneself. 

Myde shook his head. His explanation was too complicated for anyone, let alone him to understand. Myde was a simple person who did not try to understand complexities that he didn't care about. That was not to say that he wasn't intelligent- he just didn't care about working on things that didn't interest him. Trying to explain why he was nervous to himself in complex mannerisms was not one of those particular things that he found interesting.

'_Now, you're fighting with yourself, Myde. Great going. You are seriously screwed up. This ordeal has sent you through a bend. Oh, shit. Is that the stage director motioning to me? Shit, it is. That means only one thing. It's, oh god,_ _**Showtime**__.'_ Myde nodded to the man to show that he understood. He took a deep breath that was meant to fortify him but only served to choke him, and stepped out into the bright white lights that were centered on a stool in the middle of the stage.

'Oh, god. I'm doomed. And I still have to pee. Damn.'

* * *

He was irritated. Not that he showed it because that was beneath him and, besides, Nobodies couldn't feel. He only remembered what it was like to feel irritation.

Goddamn Saïx and his stupidity: or his genius in becoming close friends with the Superior. Now he was being sent out on a simple mission- simple didn't begin to cover just how simple this mission was. All he had to do was follow a Somebody around for a little while and record anything of interest about the pertaining Somebody.

This should have fallen to Axel. He was one of the original six and had better, more important matters to take care of then babysitting a Somebody until they became a Nobody. And it wasn't even known if the Somebody would be strong enough to withstand the change.

"I feel for you Zexion, truly." Zexion stopped in mid-thought rant and turned to confront the Nobody that had so blithely drawled to him.

"Axel, I do not have time for your antics. You know as well as I that either you or Saïx should have gotten this assignment. Not me. I am supposed to be researching," Zexion replied huffily.

Axel nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and pushed up off of the pillar that he had been leaning on.

"I don't know what goes through the Superior's mind. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that Saïx is extremely unstable right now and you can't fight to save your life- or rather your non-existent life." Axel was perfectly fine with Zexion not being allowed to stay within the castles walls. Even if he had a heart, he would have been okay with it. All the more ammo to torture the man with. But, because of his non-existent heart Axel could only remember the feeling of the pleasure gotten from torturing someone else.

"Zexion; it's a simple mission. You barely have to do anything. Just follow the kid around. Take some notes and pretend to care. Like all of us do." With this Axel pivoted on his heel and moved away. By the end of the hallway he had opened a portal and stepped inside. With a last, jaunty wave to Zexion he disappeared. It really was too bad that he couldn't enjoy the torture his superior was going through. Oh well, such was the fate of a Nobody.

Zexion had absolutely no clue what he was doing. As had been earlier stated, this was not his usual job. He could sneak around perfectly. After all, he wasn't called the Cloaked Schemer for nothing. He just didn't know who he was supposed to follow covertly. He had only a name, no description.

His portal opened at the back of a huge auditorium. He wrinkled his nose immediately, the smells having assaulted his nose unexpectedly. There were some huge disadvantages to having an extremely sensitive nose. The smells that filtered throughout the large room were incredibly varied and giving him a headache. This was exactly what he needed on his first outside job. He returned his attention to his paper, trying to block out the various smells. The Somebody that he needed to follow was Myde Mizu. Now to find this Myde person.

As he studied his paper, trying to find any hint as to whom this Myde was, his nose was again assaulted by a smell. This smell was different though. It did not give him a headache as the others had or even annoy him as the others had. But Zexion did not understand. It wasn't that pleasant a smell. It smelled of brine and seaweed. Salt was also part of the mixture. Like an ocean. Zexion was not terribly fond of the ocean. Bad memories.

He finally looked up and paid attention to what was happening before him. Someone was singing. This man was where the smell was coming from. The man, or rather boy- it was apparent that he was barely legal, was singing tenderly. He was probably pretty good except for his choice of song. Although Zexion could not deny the fact that the song was pretty. He probably would have liked it if he could feel. Once again, Zexion cursed his lack of a heart.

_Be everything you need_

_I love you more with every breath _

_Truly Madly Deeply do_

Zexion listened closely to the words. The man was singing beautifully.

_A deeper meaning yeah_

_I want to stand with you on a mountain_

_I want to bathe with you in the sea_

_I want to lay like this forever _

_Until the sky falls down on me_

The man turned and Zexion's breath caught. He was just as beautiful as his voice. Dirty blonde locks circled a slightly round face. The face was not technically aesthetically pleasing by itself. The eyes were what caught Zexion's attention. They were a greenish blue. They were so much like the ocean that he smelled of. Zexion wished that he could feel something. Anything for this man whose beauty was magnified by his voice and words.

_Then make you want to cry_

_The tears of joy for all the pleasure and uncertainty_

_That we're surrounded by the comfort and protection_

_Of the highest power_

Zexion shook his head. This was not how he should be acting. He was a scientist and book lover. He did not swoon just because of a beautiful man singing words of love. He was above this. He had to be. He had a mission to do, one that did not include listening to this mysterious man sing these words that meant nothing to Zexion. He had to find Myde Mizu and watch him.

_I want to stand with you on a mountain_

He finished his song and, with shaking breath, thanked the audience and walked off the stage. Zexion watched him move off with his breath still caught and then turned his attention to the MC moving back on stage.

"Give another round of applause for Myde Mizu. That was a very stirring performance, Myde. Thank you. Next on our program is…."

After this Zexion stopped listening to the man and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with much needed air. He had found his charge.

And suddenly life was much more complicated.

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A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover


	2. New Complications

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its affiliates.

A/N: So, how ya'll liking the changes so far?

Dedication: Launch shinra, who was my first ever reviewer. Thank you.

**Originally Published: 11/25/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

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**_Chapter Two: New Complications_**

Myde stepped off of the stage and almost collapsed from the pressure. God, he was never doing that again. The applause swelled behind him and he knew that the popular school band had stepped up. Love songs were not as popular anymore as they used to. Oh, well.

Now that he had properly embarrassed himself in front of his entire school he could go home and wallow in self pity. He packed up his guitar and left, not staying for the finish of the song or the rousing chorus of encores that would follow it, and certainly not seeing the man that had sidled up backstage and was now watching him intently.

* * *

Zexion was careful. He was no longer as irritated about watching the Somebody as he had been before. There was something different about this Myde character. Something… interesting. He didn't understand why but he just knew that to have Myde realize that he was being watched was not a good idea. Therefore he was careful. He didn't know why but he wanted to keep watching this man. To fail was not an option. Zexion watched him, just as he was supposed to.

It was obvious that Myde was not all there at the moment. In the time it took for him to walk from the school to his house, a ten minute walk mind you, he had almost caused two vehicular accidents, walked into two telephone poles, tripped over three dogs and one cat, and nearly banged his head on his door when he went to go inside. Even though all of this had happened, his hand never let loose from its tight grip on his guitar. It was almost like nothing mattered to the boy, except for his instrument. Zexion had watched all that had gone on from a distance and had to stop himself from giving up his position and rush to save the blond from death several times. Only thoughts of the mission kept him from aiding the man.

And this caused Zexion to worry. Or at least to remember how to worry as he kept reminding himself. After all, Nobodies had no hearts and therefore no consciences. They had no feelings, no concern for others, and no real concern for themselves even. They were a shell; a broken shell that felt nothing. And Zexion tried to remind himself of this fact. He desperately tried to tell himself that the boy meant nothing and that he was only remembering to be concerned for the potential Nobody that Myde would eventually make. And the more Zexion had to remind himself of this fact, the more he began to doubt exactly what Xemnas had been saying for so long.

Even as these thoughts raced through Zexion's mind at lightning speed, he still watched the man, and still took notes. He would not lose sight of his goal just because of one simple man. He wasn't even homosexual. At least, he had never had any interest in the same sex before. What made this man different? What was it about him that made Zexion want more than his dismal non-existence?

* * *

Days passed and Myde became even more depressed. He had known that singing was a bad idea. Now, he couldn't get a respite from the thoughts flying through his head about his abysmal performance and choice of song. He wondered as to why he had even written that sort of song.

Was it because he was lonely? He didn't really have anyone to love and be loved by. Yes, his parents loved him, but they were not rich and had to work long and hard to support them and he had no siblings. From the time he got home from school to the time that he went to bed every night, he was alone. So alone: and so lonely. Was it so much to ask for somebody to love? Someone who would be there through everything, to hold him, whisper of his love to him, and to shelter him from scorn and harm? Someone who would want to be there for him through thick and thin?

Myde slipped into an even deeper depression and then it finally lifted. Myde was never meant to be a sad person and so he never could stay sad for very long. He didn't have it in him. Because of this, the depression lasted only a few days before Myde was able to recover enough to go back to his natural sunny dispassion.

When he did, though, he noticed something that unnerved him. He felt as though he was being watched. He didn't understand. He would turn around and there would be no one there. But the feeling of being watched only intensified in strength as the days passed. It made him uncomfortable. And he finally decided to try and catch the person that was following him. Now to devise a plan to catch him or her in the act.

One thing Myde was very good at was planning what to do when he really wanted something. And he really wanted to catch this person. And so he sat down at his kitchen table, that prickly feeling of being watched still tingling in his neck, and concocted a plan to force this person out of hiding. And he smiled deviously.

* * *

Zexion wasn't worried. Myde was at his kitchen table, probably doing homework or such, and Zexion certainly did not believe that Myde suspected that something was going on. Therefore, he did not know that at that _very_ moment Myde was concocting a plan to bring about Zexion's downfall and not doing his term paper for English. Nor did he know that it would surely succeed because, while Myde never wanted for much, when he did, he inevitably received it, in some fashion or another.

Therefore, Zexion was leaning nonchalantly on the side of Myde's house and was not worried. He was not really watching Myde at the moment and was, instead, reading the reams of notes that he had taken on said Somebody. Myde's perpetual air of discontent, then happiness, then thoughtfulness, then depression was interesting to say the least. Zexion was so interested in Myde that he had not even returned to The Castle That Never Was once in the five days that he had been assigned to study Myde. For having never been outside the castle walls before this mission, Zexion was perfectly content to stay near Myde at all times. For the research of course, Zexion kept telling himself.

So observed in his notes was he, that Zexion did not even notice the dark portal that had opened right across from him nor the person that had stepped out.

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings, Zexion. Otherwise, you could be found out and we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Zexion looked up, startled then scowled when he saw bright red hair and piercing acid green eyes. Axel.

"Is there any particular reason as to why you are here, Axel? I do not recall you having been put on this mission." Zexion's air of contentment had burst upon Axel's arrival. He never had really liked Number VIII. The man was rude and sarcastic to a fault.

"We were worried about you, Zexion. You haven't returned to the castle in five days. We would have thought that you had been discovered and killed if it weren't for the fact that your grave isn't desecrated," Axel replied in his sarcastic voice.

"Cut the bullshit, Axel. You know as well as I do that we don't feel. What is the real reason for your presence here? I am working and you are distracting me."

"Well, if you must know…. The Superior sent me to bring you back. He feels that you should have had enough time to gather all the research you need by now. He wants you to come back and work on gathering it into a report for him," Axel replied.

He was not very happy to have been sent on this mission. If he could have felt the emotion, hate would have been foremost in his thoughts toward Zexion. Zexion was cold and didn't even try to act as though he had emotions. Axel at least tried in some ways to feel emotion, if only for the challenge that it presented. Zexion was steadfast in his belief that they shouldn't even pretend that they had emotions. In this way he was quite like Vexen.

"Tell the Superior that I need one more day to research and that I will return tomorrow and hand in my report." Axel wanted to seethe at the audacity Zexion had to tell him to do anything. While the Superior could do so, Zexion, no matter if he was superior to Axel, was not allowed to do so. And then to do this so nonchalantly was the ultimate insult.

Axel could feel his blood begin to sing in his veins and his pale skin began to flush. He could feel the fire race through his body, just begging to be released and cause destruction to whomever was in its path. Axel deliberately calmed his body down, knowing that to erupt now would cause Zexion to fail the mission and while he did not care about Zexion or his mission, he knew that the Superior would punish him severely if he caused Zexion to fail and to subsequently lose the potential Nobody. Xemnas was not known for light punishments, no matter what the infraction was. He decided to antagonize Zexion instead. He stepped up to the window, knowing that the best way to irritate Zexion was to continue interrupting him while working.

"Ooh. Is that the charge in there? Isn't he a cutie? I always have been partial to blonds. Maybe I'll get him first when he joins the organization. Wouldn't that be fun?" 

Axel was not prepared for the look of utter loathing Zexion sent his way after he said this and so snapped back in surprise.

This puzzled him to an extent. Antagonizing Zexion did not usually cause such a reaction from Number VI. He usually sent a scathing look towards Axel and went on his way. Why was this so different? Axel thought back on his words and began to piece together exactly why Zexion would send such a look of loathing towards him when the most he usually ever got was a look of indifference from the man. Even though he didn't act like it for the most part, Axel was, in fact, quite intelligent. And it didn't take him long to understand.

"You want him for yourself, don't you? Ooh, Zexion has a little crush on someone. What a treat to tell the others back at the castle. Or does Zexion not want the others to know? Now how can I use this to my advantage?" From the first word Axel had uttered, Zexion had begun to splutter and deny vehemently the truth that Axel had so quickly come to realize.

"You have that completely wrong, Axel. I do not feel anything for the subject. How can I, when neither I nor any of the other Nobodies can feel _anything_?" Axel only laughed throughout Zexion's entire denial. He was in a good mood and decided to lie off of Zexion… for now.

"Alright, Zexion; seeing as how you have put me in a good mood now, I've decided to be nice and leave you be for now. Don't expect me to be so benevolent in the future. I'll tell the Superior about the extension and I won't tell anyone about your new obsession. However, I expect compensation for this. I'll get back to you on it." Axel opened his portal and for the second time, walked away from Zexion, gave a jaunty wave and disappeared into the portal. The only difference was the chuckle that could still be heard ringing through Zexion's head.

'_I'm screwed.'_

* * *

Myde had done it. He had come up with the perfect plan to catch his stalker. Now all he had to do was implement it. He grinned devilishly and one could almost see the two little horns above his head as he thought of his plan.

Whoever this person was would never know what had hit him.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter One: Launch shinra, sorakairi forever, Riku-stalker, youkai chick supreme, NaroRau, ItaFearMe, Shadoom, Erethil **


	3. Face to Face

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

A/N: Hope you're enjoying.

Dedication: To the five original reviewers, and to Riku-stalker for reviewing twice.

**Originally Published: 11/27/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

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****Chapter Three: Face to Face**_

It was time to implement the plan. Only… Myde was suddenly wondering if he should. Why was this person stalking him? What did Myde have that caused the person to want to stalk him? Myde just… didn't understand. And not knowing and understanding confused him.

As his thoughts flew between going ahead with the plan and not he grew more confused. To go ahead with the plan meant that he would catch the creep and find out some answers. To not go ahead with the plan meant that the creepy man (or woman) would still stalk him and he would never find out why he was being watched. And not knowing was killing him. But… what if the answer was not one that he would like?

'_Ugh, Myde. Just do it. No matter what, the answer won't be one you like; how can it be when it's the reason for him (or her) stalking you and watching your every little move?'_ When Myde thought this, he gave a shudder.

He hadn't really thought about it like that. This person was watching his every move, every day, every hour and minute of the day. His every single moment of living and breathing were being watched… religiously. And this made him nervous. And suddenly he knew that to not catch the stalker meant that this… watching… would never end. This Myde definitely did not want. And so he finally silenced his doubts and began to implement the plan.

Thank goodness that it was going to rain tomorrow. His plan depended on it. The now ever present smirk of malicious mirth once again graced Myde's face, a smirk that he never used to use and still did not really like. This person was going to regret _ever _stalking Myde Mizu.

* * *

It was raining. Zexion hated the rain. Perhaps not as much as Axel, who was doused like a candle being dumped in a bathtub of water whenever he even touched water, but still, he hated it. It caused his hairdo- which he worked on very hard each and every morning to get it to do its flip thing over his eye, thank you very much- to practically melt and hang over his entire face, causing people to laugh at him and call him Cousin It. He truly hated that name. There were no words to describe the viciousness that Zexion sent towards that name whenever he was called it. Axel had a tendency to love calling Zexion this name whenever rain came and drenched Zexion. That is, until Zexion showered Axel with the water droplets that dripped off of him. Rain was constant in The World That Never Was.

He was now wet and shivering. Rain, no matter how warm the day, always made him cold. And there was no Axel to drench. Life really sucked sometimes.

'_Great; now I'm going to get a cold, probably. Just my luck. And on top of that, Axel is sure to be planning something sinister in payment for keeping his silence. That stupid Somebody. This is his entire fault. Oh, stop it, Zexion. Myde doesn't know that you have to keep a watch on him because he is slated to become a Nobody and Xemnas didn't want Axel or Saïx to do it. Damn Saïx and his ass kissing ways and damn Axel for being able to fight so goddamn well; they're the reason I have to do this. Why me?'_

Zexion was miserable and was not really paying attention to his charge. He was so absorbed in his thoughts about being wet and hating Numbers VI and VIII that he didn't notice that Myde was leading them into an alleyway that was nothing but a dead end except for a few locked doors and fire escapes. He only followed blindly.

He was incredibly stupid to have not brought an umbrella, unlike possible Number IX before him. Not like Myde cared about having an umbrella. He was alternating between holding it above his head to catch the rain and swinging it at his side just so that he could feel the rain on his face. Myde obviously loved the rain. How could he when it was cold and so… _wet_?

Although Zexion had powers- all Nobodies did- his power had nothing to do with water and so he could do nothing to stop the torrent raining down upon his head. Zexion was so miserable that he never really noticed when Myde was no longer in front of him. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that it wasn't until he crashed into the chain linked fence that he abruptly realized that his charge was no longer in front of him and was, as a matter of fact, nowhere to be seen.

'_Oh, shit. Where is he?'_ Zexion began to panic. He was screwed if he couldn't find Myde. He couldn't be seen by Myde. And his sense of smell was impaired because of the rain. He couldn't locate Myde by scent. This was bad- very, very bad.

* * *

When Myde had veered into the alley he had no real idea if his plan would work. He didn't know if the person would blindly follow him into an alley that was quite obviously a dead end or realize what was going on and just leave to come back at another time. As soon as he had reached the end of the alleyway, he had thrown his blue umbrella to the side and proceeded to climb up the nearest fire escape and hide.

Soon after, he saw a gorgeous man amble into the alleyway, looking thoroughly wet and disgruntled. He was obviously absorbed in his thoughts and so, when he hit the chain link fence at the end of the alley, it came as a shock to him. Myde was too surprised by the man to laugh as he normally would have when someone was that clumsy. The man was, too say the least, breathtaking.

His hair was strange, though. It was the prettiest, blue gray silver color Myde had ever seen and looked so natural that he knew that it had not come from a bottle. Who in the world could have hair a color like that and not have it be dyed? It was obvious, though, that this was not a dyed color. How he knew this Myde did not know. Right now, that gorgeous, thick, luxurious hair was hanging in limp tendrils down over his face so Myde could understand how he had stumbled into the fence.

Myde knew that he was looking at his stalker. When the man was pulled out of his thoughts abruptly, he pushed his hair out of his face and began to wildly look around, as though searching for something. And Myde was once again stunned. He was looking at eyes that were a gorgeous deep blue. Eyes that he felt he could look in to for forever and drown in and never rise back up again. And he felt that he wouldn't have minded. The body of the man was slight. It was obvious that this man was not a fighter of any sort. He looked to be the bookish type. His body was small and compact but there were slight muscles to be seen. He was wearing a leather coat that reached to about mid calf and pants that were soaking wet at the edges from the puddles around him. The coat was zipped up all the way to his neck and so Myde did not know whether he wore a shirt underneath. Due to the fact that it was freezing cold Myde was fairly certain that he was. The coat had a hood but it was down.

Myde did not know why because it was raining. Didn't one usually have their hood up to keep the rain from soaking into their hair and face? Obviously this man was different. Myde felt a stirring in his gut that he hadn't felt in a long time. The fact that he was attracted to the man did not come as a surprise to Myde for he knew that he was gay and had known for quite some time. The fact that he was attracted to someone who was obviously following him did unnerve him just a bit, though.

The man was still looking around wildly, putting his finely sculpted nose in the air, almost as though he was sniffing the air, like a dog would, and spinning around in circles. Then he began to speak, obviously panicking.

"Myde? Oh, Gods where did you go? I can't lose you. Oh, Gods. What will Superior say? What will he do? Oh, shit. I should have ended this yesterday when I was told to. Xemnas is going to kill me. Axel will come up with a way to torture me about losing my charge for the rest of our non-existent lives. He will never let it go. I'm in deep shit. Oh, where did you go? Please come back. Oh, Gods, I'm speaking to the air. I'm going nuts. Oh, I hope that if Myde is here he hasn't heard what I just said. Oh, I'm so fucking screwed. How am I going to deal with this? Why couldn't I have just stayed within the castle walls? Why did they have to put _me _on this mission? I'm supposed to be researching and writing a book, damn it. Oh, Gods."

It was official. His gorgeous stalker was officially insane. Myde _would_ end up with a cute and insane stalker. Of course, stalking and being insane went hand in hand for the most part. As the man began to panic even more, muttering something about chains and berserkers, Myde knew he had to stop staring at the man. It was time to finish his plan. And so he jumped down off the fire escape and landed in front of the man.

* * *

Zexion was officially panicking. He just knew that punishment would be severe if he didn't find Myde. And then, suddenly…. Myde landed in front of him like an angel come to save him. He had barely anytime to react, letting out only a small squeak of surprise before Myde grabbed him and shoved him against the alley wall behind him.

"Who the hell are you? Why are you stalking me?" The words were barely out of Myde's mouth before Zexion decided that Myde was not an angel. No, not in any way was Myde an angel. Myde was about as far from being an angel as he could get. In fact, he was probably the devil in disguise. This was the last thing Zexion thought before darkness pressed at the edges of his brain and brought blissful nothingness.

* * *

"Well, damn, I didn't think you would faint. You're not a very good stalker, are you?" Myde stared at the man hanging limply in his arms and wondered what the hell he would do with this man; this gorgeous man who had brought so many complications into his simple life.

He swept the man into his arms and decided that the only course of action he could take was to bring him home. The man was probably going to be sick from the cold weather he'd been out in. Even if he was sick, Myde still needed answers from him.

This hadn't gone exactly as he had planned but, like always, he had gotten what he wanted.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Two: TheOptimisticPessimist, 13loves8loves9loves6, Riku-stalker, Launch shinra, sorakairi forever, NaroRau**


	4. Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

A/N: Hope you're enjoying.

Dedication: To all of my reviewers, both old, new, loyal, and the one-timers.

**Originally Published: 11/27/08**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

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Chapter Four: Meeting

Zexion woke up and was incredibly confused. He was warm and comfy. How was that possible when he knew for a fact that he had just been outside, in the rain, getting soaked as each moment passed by? Then everything came back to him in a flash and he groaned.

He had been found out. How was that even possible? He was The Cloaked Schemer, damn it. Sneaking around was his specialty. He was never caught. How had this slip of a man done what no other in the Organization had been able to? He didn't even have powers to use against Zexion. How had he done it? How had he been able to trick the trickster?

Zexion's thoughts zoomed around and he began to panic again. He had been caught. He'd failed his mission! How long had he been out? He had fainted! Zexion never fainted. How could he when he didn't have the emotions _capable_ for him to faint?!

He sat up and the colorful afghan that had been draped over his body slipped down to puddle at his waist. The afghan… it was Myde's favorite. He always slipped beneath its colorful pattern whenever he needed comforting seeing as how his parents weren't really there to do it for him. He had spent many days under it when he had grown depressed. It was official. Myde had known that he was being watched and had subsequently caught him. It amazed Zexion- or at least he thought it amazed him (he had to remember that Nobodies didn't feel, _damn it_).

Zexion groaned. He was getting a headache.

'_Shut up! Gods, thoughts are overrated. Where is Myde? He has to be here somewhere.'_

Zexion made to sit up when the object of his thoughts entered the room, carrying – of all things- chicken soup steaming in a clay bowl. Zexion was startled and made to leave the room and the house.

"Oh, no you don't!" Myde was not ready for this man to leave and so grabbed his coat by the hood that flared out from the back and yanked Zexion back. The man let out a squeak and went tumbling to the ground. Myde was surprisingly strong.

"Of course I'm strong. How do you think you got back here? It certainly wasn't by your own power." When Myde answered Zexion, he realized that he had spoken this thought out loud and cringed. He lay on the floor, sprawled out with his legs tangled together and his arms outstretched.

He was a little dazed from the sharp, abrupt drop and had yet to make a move when Myde picked him up yet again and carried him to the sofa and slipped him back underneath the afghan. It really was comfy. His head was throbbing and Zexion moaned softly.

"Here, I made soup. You should eat some. It will help you. I know it seems just a bit cliché but chicken soup really does help a lot when you're sick. I should now. I got really sick when I was young. All my mom ever made for me was chicken soup. I got so sick of it. I still don't really like it but it did make me feel better." Myde broke off from what he was saying when he noticed that Zexion was doing nothing but stare at him quizzically. "What are you staring at? I said eat."

When Zexion still had not touched the rapidly cooling soup, Myde sighed. "I'm going to have to force feed you, aren't I?" He sighed again and picked up the bowl that had been set on the coffee table when the whole debacle had started and picked up the spoon that lay next to it. He dipped the spoon in the liquid and brought it to the man's face but all Zexion did was just stare at him. His mouth did not open and he didn't even look as though he had heard a word of what Myde had said.

"Are you dumb? Is that why you're just staring at me and not eating when I specifically said to_ eat_?" When Myde uttered these words, Zexion snapped out of his daze and took the spoon from Myde and put it in his mouth, all the while glaring at Myde.

"I am not dumb. In fact, I am far from it!" Zexion replied, still glaring at Myde. His voice was stiff but still beautiful, lilting almost, with an accent that Myde had never heard before.

"Ah, so the mystery man speaks! Well, Mr. Stalker, you have a fever, probably from being out in that cold rain with hardly any protection on you."

Myde smirked. He was thoroughly enjoying watching this fascinating man. His hair was dried and seemed to shimmer in the light from the fire that Myde had painstakingly made when they had gotten home. He hated making a fire. He was not very good at it. Those oh, so blue eyes were glaring at him and snapping with an inner fire. The man was obviously irritated. This made Myde smirk even further. He was really enjoying this. Usually pale skin was flushed pink with fever and Myde was brought back to reality, remembering that the poor man was sick.

"You know, it's nobody's fault but yours that you're sick. You should have come prepared for rain when you decided to stalk me. You should have known that I always go walking in the rain when it comes. I love the rain." Myde took the spoon from Zexion and began to force feed him again, deciding to ignore the indignant glares and splutters coming from the man. My, was he enjoying this. Antagonizing this man was the most fun he had had in a long time.

Minutes passed in silence as Myde forced his _charge _to eat and Zexion said not a word, looking at Myde the entire time, alternating between glaring at him and staring at him with a puzzled expression on his face. When the soup- which was surprisingly good- was finished, Myde swept it up and took it back to the kitchen. When he turned around, he saw the diminutive stature of his stalker and jumped in surprise. His eyebrows narrowed in anger, though, and he quickly walked towards the man.

"You are sick and therefore, you should be resting!" Myde took a hold of his arm and towed him back to the couch and pushed him down onto its surface. Zexion did nothing but gape at him. Then he decided to finally speak.

"You are fascinating. I'm your stalker and here you are, caring for me because I became sick while stalking you. This is fascinating behavior." Zexion looked and watched as Myde shifted next to him on the couch, looking uncomfortable.

* * *

"Well… I was raised to never harm anybody. It's technically somewhat my fault. I knew you were watching me so I led you out into the rain in a bid to catch you- although it's mostly your fault for stalking me. Which reminds me… why are you stalking me? Who are you? What do you want from me? Wait. There's time later for you to answer me. All you need to do is rest right now and get better." Myde pushed him to lie back down and bundled him within the blanket. He bent over Zexion, his face getting extremely close to Zexion's, and, as his breath brushed sweetly over Zexion's face, he said goodnight.

* * *

Back in the Castle That Never Was, Xemnas was coolly staring at Axel.

"So, you gave Number VI the message yesterday. I get that. You came back and said that he wanted one more day. I very nicely understood and decided to give him the time extension. Now, I'm not feeling so patient. Where is he?"

"I don't know, Superior. He said he needed one more day to finish his research and that he would then be back."

"That is the wrong answer, Number VIII. Don't come back until you get the right one. You're dismissed."

Axel disappeared in a black void only to end up in his room. He started to throw clothing and other paraphernalia into a black bag.

'_When I get my hands on you, Zexion, you will regret the day you were ever made a Nobody. I promise.'_

* * *

Zexion had no idea of the threat that had just been issued against him and so was sleeping peacefully. He really didn't feel good. Damn that stupid rain. He hated water.

Myde also had no notion of the threat that had been made against Zexion and so was only watching the man sleep. He was not stirring and the rising and falling of his chest barely disturbed the blanket that enfolded him. Myde was disturbed, though. This man was complex; possibly an idiot and criminally insane, but complex nevertheless.

What was he going to do? He had no idea what he should do. Should he turn the man into the police and tell them of his stalker tendencies? Or, should he just let the man go and let the both of them go back to their normal life? Myde had never seen the man before, so, although he was barely older than Myde, he didn't go to Myde's high school. He was probably actually out of school by now, since Myde was in his last year.

Several hours passed and Zexion began to slowly wake up. Myde looked up from the book that he was reading- he would rather have played his guitar, but the noise would have woken the man up- and went to Zexion's side.

"Hey there, sleepy head; did you enjoy your nap? How are you feeling?" Myde reached over and brushed hair from Zexion's head. He immediately drew his hand back, though, and scooted back away from the man.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you," Zexion murmured. He had not missed the small gesture of comfort and was confused. What was this _thing_ wriggling around in his stomach? He stared at Myde and grew concerned when Myde's gentle countenance slipped away and a hard and stubborn look took its place.

"Good. Then I can ask my questions and you will answer. Your sickness can no longer be used as an excuse to put this off, for either of us. Now, since you don't seem to want to answer my question about who you are, I'll ask something else. What's your name?"

Zexion actually chuckled. Myde was trying to trick him into answering. He didn't know what to do, though. He really shouldn't give his name. That would be disastrous. His mission technically wasn't failed, yet. All he had to do was answer Myde's questions with lies and then slip away, back to the Castle That Never Was. Then he could finish his report and move on with his life- and hope that Myde was never turned and found out about his deceiving. And so he settled on a compromise.

"My name… is… Ienzo."

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Three: 13loves8loves9loves6, Mousikos, TheOptimisticPessimist, Riku-stalker, Anira De'Ember, Launch shinra, sorakairi forever, youkai chick supreme, NaroRau.**


	5. Telling Tall Tales

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

A/N: I hope you're enjoying.

Dedication: To Riku-stalker and TheOptimisticPessimist. Why do I need a reason?

**Originally Published: 11/28/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

* * *

**_Chapter Five: Telling Tall Tales_**

Zexion stared at Myde, schooling his face into a blank mask. He had to make sure that this perceptive boy did not see through his lie and question it. He could not fail this mission. Somehow, he didn't think things would go right if one of the other Organization members took over the mission. Therefore, the boy had to accept his lie as truth. At least until he was turned. Zexion waited with baited breath, careful to keep his expression neutral, wanting Myde to speak more than anything.

"Ienzo, huh? Well… seeing as how you are stalking me, you probably know my name. Even so, I'll tell you because no one denies me my introductions."

Myde apparently seemed to accept to Zexion's 'name' and so Zexion relaxed. It wasn't noticeable because he didn't want to draw attention to himself but he still relaxed. The first part of his distasteful lies had been swallowed. Then he finally paid attention to Myde and what he was doing.

The boy had leapt to his feet and was now standing right in front of Zexion. Because of the angle that the two boys were in, Zexion was suddenly privy to a very private part of Myde's anatomy. A brilliant pink flush swept over his cheeks and while one part of him wanted to turn away and gasp, the other, more dominant, part of him urged him to keep his position and stare. Zexion was torn and could only stare at the display in silence before Myde finally noticed where exactly Zexion was staring. He let out an indignant gasp and covered his genitalia with one hand. He backed away.

"Pervert! I should have known. Only a stalker would do such a thing!"

Zexion panicked. He threw the afghan off and got off of the couch, walking towards Myde. Myde, in turn, was backing away, trying to stay as far away as he could get. He even tripped over paraphernalia in his haste to get away from Zexion.

"Wait! It's not what you think!"

"Not what I _**think**_?! I think it's _exactly_ what I think! You pervert! Pedophile! Ugh! I let you in my home. I fed you! You… my stalker! I let you wrap up in _my_ afghan. My nice, comfy afghan and this is how you repay me?! You tried to undress me with your eyes! You… pervert!"

"Now that's just going a little too far. I am not a pedophile. I am barely older than you. And I am certainly not a pervert. How can anybody, even someone heterosexual- such as I-, be able to not look at your anatomy when you practically thrust it in my face?! What was I supposed to do, shove you away?!"

"Sweetie, you're about as straight as a Picasso painting, meaning… not at all. After all, while I may have been '_thrusting'_ my privates at you, you did nothing to stop it, and only looked on with something akin to excitement in your eyes. Don't even try to deny that you're gay. And you are a pervert. Why else would you be _stalking_ me?"

"… Good point. However, I am not a pervert. I'm stalking you for a legitimate reason!"

"A legitimate reason! What the hell kind of explanation is that?! Wait… calm down, Myde, he's still sick," Myde muttered to himself. "Look… you're still sick. You may be a pervert- the jury's still out on that one, buddy- but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't receive proper care. My mother taught me well. Don't worry, though… we'll continue this discussion later, when you're feeling better." Myde suddenly smile… and not just any smile. It was his most luminous, gorgeous, breathtaking smile. Zexion's breath caught and, as Myde led him back to the couch and then wrapped him in his comfy afghan yet again, Zexion complying willingly, Zexion decided to come to terms with the fact that, for this boy, he could indeed be a homosexual.

And this shook him up more than he ever thought possible.

* * *

'_Zexion, you will rue the day you ever messed with me. I'm going to find you, boy, and when I do you had better run fast._' Axel's thoughts were centered on a certain superior who had gotten both of them in a boat load of trouble.

He stepped out of his room and soon opened a dark portal. Having to fetch Zexion as though he was a dog was not on Axel's list of favorite things to do. Being near any portion of water, be it a bath or rain, was also missing from this list.

So, when he stepped out of the portal near the house of Zexion's charge and immediately felt cold and wet, his mood slipped even further into the pits of hell. It was raining. His hair soaked very quickly and the weight caused the spikes to disintegrate. Now he was stuck in the rain, with heavy hair that was completely messed up.

His mood, if it was possible, blackened even more. If it weren't for the rain having doused his abilities, Axel probably would have gone up in flames by now. As soon as he found Zexion, he was going to wrap his hands around the scrawny neck of Number VI and strangle him.

He stepped up to the front window and what he saw there made his mood leave completely.

"Oh, hell no, no way is he in there, comfy, dry, and warm, with a blond cutie to take care of him and I'm stuck out here in the rain. Where is the justice in this? Would someone please tell me?! Who sees the fairness in this?! I'm out here because of him, and does he care? No! Then again, we don't have feelings so I suppose I don't really care either. But I remember what anger feels like and let me tell you, Zexion, you are going down!"

* * *

Myde had no idea what he was going to do with Ienzo. What had happened earlier had been completely unexpected and Myde could not deny that he probably would not have reacted so strongly if he hadn't found it arousing. The sweep of pink that had graced the man's pale cheeks was attractive and Myde had felt a stirring that he hadn't ever felt for another known to him. Oh, Myde knew he was gay but only because of actors and singers that he had felt attracted to. The only ones that he had ever been attracted to were male.

This was different, however. This man did not exist in a poster or on a movie screen. He was flesh and blood and real and_ there_. Myde had never been attracted to someone that he actually knew. Thus, his experience in dealing with attraction was nil. And, of all people to become attracted to, he had to feel so for his stalker.

Of course, no one would probably blame him. Ienzo was hot. Gorgeous, beautiful, alluring, breathtaking, all of those adjectives that described physical looks did not do Ienzo justice. There was something about the man, something that spoke of coldness, but also of loneliness. This cried out to the caretaker in Myde and he knew that to simply let the man go, even after his questions were answered, would not bode well… for either of them.

A noise, a pounding, disrupted the peaceful silence- except for the crackling of the fire in the hearth-, and Myde was taken aback. He did not immediately recognize that the pounding was coming from the front door and so, when he did recognize it for what it was, he felt a rush of warmth rise in his cheeks from his stupidity. Both he and Ienzo seemed to have the uncontrollable urge to blush whenever they were around each other.

As the pounding continued at the door, Myde looked back towards Ienzo and saw that the noise had not disturbed him. His chest was rising and falling peacefully as he recuperated from the fever he had gotten in the land of dreams. Myde got up and went to the door. He opened it, ready to tear into the person for the infernal racket that they were making, when he saw the person at the door.

"Who in the hell are you? Why were you making so much noise? There are people sleeping in here, you know." Myde was, as a rule, never rude to people he had just met but there was something about this stranger that caused Myde's hackles to rise up in consternation. Perhaps it was the fact that, even with his entire body drenched in rain water, he still managed to look menacing. Or perhaps it was the way the man barged into his house, uninvited, and acted as though he owned the place.

"Hey! What makes you think you have the right to come in here, uninvited? I don't even know your name-"

"The name's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized? And I know that someone is sleeping in here. I saw him through your front window. And let me tell you, it was a bitch to find him. Somehow I knew he would be here. I've come to take him back home. Now if you will _kindly_ point me towards him I will be on my way."

"Excuse me? I don't recall ever saying that you could take Ienzo away. He's resting. He caught a cold from the rain. I still don't know who you are and I will ask you to _kindly_ be on your way without him. You can't really expect me to just hand over Ienzo like he's property to someone that, for all I know, could try to hurt him. I'm not stupid."

"Ien…? Ienzo is my… roommate. We had a disagreement of sorts and he left in a huff. I've come to retrieve him and take him home." Axel couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for the boy in front of him. He was not running away from the sight of a furious Axel, nor was he letting Zexion go.

Axel also had to feel some respect for Zexion. At least he hadn't told him his real name. And it was obvious that Myde had no inclination as to who the Organization was. Even in the face of failing, Zexion still hadn't told: probably thought that he could turn it around in his favor. Little did Zexion know that Xemnas was furious and wanted Axel to bring Zexion home so they both could be punished; he wasn't going to leave until he had Zexion with him.

"Again, I will reiterate that I'm not dumb. It's obvious that the name Ienzo comes as a surprise to you which means that you and he are not roommates and that you don't know each other. Now, how about the truth for once? I'm not –"

Whatever Myde had been about to say was swallowed when a crash came from the living room. A thump was heard and then a moan. Both Axel and Myde were startled, to say the least, and they went racing to the room. They were both about the same height and so neither was able to have that advantage over the other. Luckily, it was Myde's home and he knew what to dodge. Axel did not and so Myde left him behind, a thump and a curse trailing to Myde's ears.

When Myde entered the living room, which was configured as to be unreachable except through the dining room- Axel had probably hit the corner of the buffet table, causing his delay and subsequent cursing; the table stuck out at an angle as to catch anyone unaware of its position-, he was not surprised to see Ienzo trying to climb to his feet, swaying all the while.

"Ienzo… what are you doing?! You need to get back on that couch right now and rest. You are ill. Look at you, you can barely stand. Look… you're swaying." The glare that Zexion sent Myde could have frozen Axel if he had been there to be privy to it.

"I need to go home. Where is the way out of this place?" Zexion muttered underneath his breath, deciding to ignore Myde- looking at him would be a definite problem to his sanity- and looked around for a way out, completely missing the crushed look that slipped onto Myde's face before vanishing forever, to be replaced with a stubborn look.

"Oh, no; for now, your home is right here where you can get plenty of rest… and food. Look at you, you're skin and bones. You're obviously not eating right. No wonder you got so sick from being out in the mere rain." Zexion sent a surprised look towards Myde. The man filed the look away and, for at least the third time that day, latched his hand onto Ienzo's arm and dragged him to the couch.

They didn't quite make it before Axel finally found the living room, rubbing his jutting hip bone. Ienzo froze, staring at Axel in surprise. Myde looked between the two. Something was going on. They obviously knew each other so why had Axel seemed so surprised when Myde said Ienzo's name?

"Hey there, buddy. How have you been? I hear you've been sick… _Ienzo_," Axel said, smiling maliciously.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Four: 13loves8loves9loves6, TheOptimisticPessimist, Riku-stalker, sorakairi forever, youkai chick supreme, NaroRau, dragonfly loves axel.**


	6. Deceptive Lies

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

A/N: Hope you're enjoying the new revisions.

Dedication: To all of my reviewers, 'cause they rock my socks.

**Originally Published: 11/30/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter Six: Deceptive Lies

Myde looked back and forth between the two men. The red-head, who was holding his hip gingerly, was smirking and looking as though he was a cat who ate the canary. Myde had never understood that expression before but now he felt that maybe it was coming clear to him now.

Ienzo had an indiscernible look on his face. It was only through looking deep into his eyes that Myde was able to see the panic that had gripped him. Neither said anything. The tension was going to kill him. He was so confused. What was going on? The silence was getting to him. He had to say something.

"So… the buffet table fought back, huh?" Now Myde felt incredibly stupid… until Axel, in a complete 180 degree mood change, threw his head back and laughed. This lasted for several minutes, until Axel, practically on his knees from exhaustion and oxygen deprivation, finally slowed down and stopped laughing.

"I don't know why I found that so funny. Buffet table… ugh. That was a great tension breaker, Myde- absolutely perfect. I suppose we can go on now, huh?"

"Wait a minute… how do you know my name? I know that I definitely didn't tell you that."

"Myde… you are just a bit too innocent. I mean, the guy is stalking you and you don't think that his… best friend wouldn't know?! I thought you said you were intelligent."

"Excuse me?! If I remember correctly, you didn't even know of the name 'Ienzo', so I highly doubt that you know him and therefore you should not know what my name is."

"Whatever. Can we please move on? Obviously we have some exp-" Whatever Axel was going to say was lost as the front door opened and a woman's voice could be heard murmuring gently.

"My parents are home! What time is it?! 9:45! Oh, shit! I never have people over. What are they going to say? They don't know you." Myde was panicking. Then he thought of something… and felt sick. He was going to have to lie. He hated lying. Axel and Ienzo had frozen. This was definitely not what they were expecting.

"Myde? Are you here, sweetie? Have you eaten yet?" Myde's mother came in, a smile on her face, and then stopped abruptly. "Oh, who are these people, Myde? Friends of yours?" She turned to the two other men in the room. "Are you hurt, honey? You're holding your hip. And you look just a bit flushed there. Are you feeling okay?"

Yes, indeed, Myde's mother was a definite caretaker. She often talked to her husband about how much she wanted to quit her job, have more children, and take care of all of them. Myde slowly turned around from the clock on the fireplace mantle and sent one of his sweet and gorgeous smiles to his mother.

"Hey, Mama. Yes… these are… friends of mine. The red-head holding his hip is Axel and this is Ienzo. They go to my… school." Myde felt incredibly sick. He hated lying to his mother but he knew that it had to be done. He couldn't say that Ienzo was his stalker and that Axel was his stalker's friend- which he still highly doubted. If he did, she would go into protective mother mode and kick them out… and he wanted to know what was going on. He would never know if they were thrown out. But his justifying it still didn't make him feel any better.

"Hello there, Mrs. Mizu. I'm Axel. Yeah, I battled your buffet table and it won." Axel went up to Myde's mother and held out his hand. She smiled and took it.

"Yes, it does have a tendency to do that. I really should move it but my husband and I are just too busy. Myde, would you be willing to move that tomorrow when you get home from school? Your father's in the kitchen making dinner. Have you eaten yet?"

"No, Mama, I haven't. I'll move the table tomorrow. Where do you want it to go?"

"Oh… I don't know. I'll think about it and tell you later. Would the two of you like to stay for dinner? It's not much- just fried chicken with mashed potatoes." Mrs. Mizu was tired but so glad that her son had brought home friends. He never did this. This she was certain of and she knew that Myde would never lie to her about bringing home friends.

She worried sometimes that he was too reclusive. He was a bright and sunny child who made friends easily but she never saw him bring them home. Perhaps these two were different. Perhaps they would help Myde out of his reclusive lifestyle.

"Why… that would be wonderful, Mrs. Mizu; Ienzo and I would love to have dinner with you and Myde." Axel smiled nicely. He knew how to bullshit mothers: his Somebody had been very good at getting nice with the parents of his conquests. Axel was no different, even if Myde wasn't one of his 'conquests' and the situation was one that he had never thought of before.

"Splendid! Myde, why don't you and your friends go freshen up while I set the table? It should be done soon. Oh, and go say hello to your father." She stepped over to her son, gave him a hug, did the same for the two other boys, and went into the kitchen.

Axel smirked. "Your mother is very friendly, Myde. I can see where you get your disposition from."

"Look… I want answers and you are going to give them to me." Ienzo then showed the first sign of any real emotion since Axel had come into the room as he winced.

"If I said that you didn't really want to know the answers, would you not ask the questions?" When Zexion said this, Myde's face dropped its stubborn and pissed off look and instead a look of sadness took its place.

"I'm sorry, Ienzo, but no matter what the answer is, I have to know. And I know that I won't like the answer because you wouldn't be stalking me otherwise… but I have to know. Come with me… the both of you." When Myde spoke, it seemed as though Zexion's entire body drooped, shoulders, face, hair and all.

He didn't particularly want to tell Myde anything… especially a lie. Things were already complicated enough as they were. What would happen if they did tell a lie and then Myde joined the Organization and hated them for their trickery? Well, hated would be a strong word, considering that, by that time, he wouldn't be able to feel anything, but still: it was the principle that mattered.

"Where are we going?" Axel asked, following Myde as he left and Zexion looked up and scurried to catch up. Where _was_ Myde taking them?

Myde led them through the dining room again, Axel slowly and carefully making his way around the buffet table- it had _hurt_, _damn it_!- and Ienzo following soon after. He led them back to the foyer and then veered into another room (this one looked like a family room) and up the stairs that were next to the room on the other side.

He said not a word and led them silently, even though Axel was trying to get his attention. He went down the hall and stopped in front of a room that had a sun painted on it- it was done when he was a child and they never got around to painting over it when he had grown up and no longer wanted it there (although, secretly, he still loved it and didn't really want to get rid of it). Axel stopped talking, for he realized that they were in front of Myde's bedroom.

"I really shouldn't be doing this because I don't trust the two of you any farther than I can throw you but we need to talk and we can't do it anywhere near my parents. Come on." Myde reluctantly opened the door and led them through, actually apprehensive as to what they would think of it. He was self-conscious about many things and his bedroom, strangely enough, was one of them.

Zexion and Axel stepped through, curiously staring at the blue walls with posters of bands and musicals scattered on their walls. The floor was a standard white carpet but the bed was nowhere near ordinary. For some strange reason, Myde had a colossal four poster bed with ivory see-through curtains hanging on its posts.

"I've always liked the bed- it belonged to my grandmother and she left it to me when she died. I used to be afraid of the dark and my mother made the curtains, saying that they would shield the darkness from me. Now that I think about it, they made my room even darker but for some reason, that darkness never scared me like the darkness outside them did," Myde explained the odd bed before the two men even had a chance to ask him about it.

The two males nodded, both thinking the same thing: was he still afraid of the darkness and, if he was, how would he cope with being a Nobody? They couldn't ask this, though, because they knew it was not their place.

"Now… we need to come up with a suitable lie to tell my parents. I, obviously, can't tell them the truth and, although I hate telling lies, this must be done." Myde turned around and sat on his chair by his desk. The other two sat on his bed. Axel, being Axel, smirked.

"Why wouldn't you want to tell the truth? Doing so would obviously get rid of us and then you wouldn't have to deal with us."

"As much as I want to get rid of the two of you, I can't, because… as much as I wish you gone, there is a part of me that needs to know the truth. And I need it now. And if you leave, I will probably never be able to find the two of you again. That would be bad. And you can't tell me right now because my mother will be calling us down soon for dinner: which reminds me… thank you for so humbly accepting my mother's invitation to dinner."

"Your mother asked, and, seeing as how, if we didn't accept the invitation, we would have been kicked out- and you obviously don't want that-, I was acting purely on instinct."

Zexion still had not said a word and was still looking around Myde's room, not even paying attention to the conversation between the other two males. Myde's room fascinated him. It was like an insight into the mind of the boy. There were clothes strewn around the room… Zexion understood this… even he got messy sometimes. When he looked in depth at the posters he found an odd collage. Posters of everything from the musical Wicked to Linkin Park adorned his walls. Some of them were actually quite interesting. Other posters advertised The Phantom of the Opera, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods, Simple Plan, and- this one surprised him- Evanescence. It seemed as though Myde had an eclectic array of musical taste.

"Ienzo. Ienzo. IENZO!"

"Huh? What? You couldn't get my attention in a gentler way?" Zexion was now annoyed. Why would Myde yell at him to get his attention?

"Apparently not, because I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes. What was so interesting that you didn't hear me call?"

"Sorry… I just find your room very interesting."

"Why?" Myde looked around. All he saw were dirty clothes, blue walls, and a lot of posters (Myde fully admitted to having an obsession). There wasn't much to find so interesting- must be an outsider thing.

"Just do. I have no real reason for it."

"Well… anyway… on to what I was talking about; we need a cover for why you guys are here. As sure as I know my mother she will ask why you guys are here. We **need** to come with something that's not the truth to tell her."

"We could just say that we are classmates and we needed to work on a project for… physics class."

"That could probably work. Although… what was the project supposed to be on? She will ask that about that, too."

"That I don't know. Maybe… a report on Newton's Laws of Gravity? Does it really matter? Or we could say that it's an Our Choice project and we haven't chosen yet."

"Again, your wisdom _astounds_ me." Sarcasm really didn't suit Myde.

By this time Axel was laying back on Myde's bed. "You know, you have a really comfy bed, Myde. Can I steal it? Mine's a piece of shit."

"No… you can't. And if I come in one day and find it missing, I will hunt you down."

"As if I could really steal your bed: it's too big. I'd never get it through the door." Myde shook his head and was starting to say something when his mother called up to him for dinner.

"Come on… my father's fried chicken is delicious. You don't want to miss it, seeing as how both of you are so skinny. Who feeds you?" Myde opened his door and stepped out, leaving the two to hurry after him. Before Zexion left Myde's room, he took one last look around. He felt as though he had just gained an insight into another aspect of Myde's personality. And he was inordinately pleased at what he had found.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Five: 13loves8loves9loves6, TheOptimisticPessimist, Riku-stalker, sorakairi forever, youkai chick supreme, NaroRau, dragonfly loves axel.**


	7. Discussions

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

A/N: Blah, blah, blah. Hope you're enjoying!

Dedication: Riku-stalker, 'cause she deserves it, motivating me like she has.

**Originally Published: 12/07/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

* * *

_**Chapter Seven: Discussions All Around**_

Axel was… stunned. Yes, that was it. He was stunned… or at least he felt the ghost shadow of what surprise was. The reason for him being stunned was rather simple, actually. Myde and his entire family were- to put it nicely and succinctly- lunatics. That was not to say that they weren't nice or anything of the kind. They were just crazy, mad as a hatter, psychotic; any other adjectives that could possibly describe insanity could be used for the Mizu family. And so, Axel was stunned.

He watched a piece of potato wiz past his head and land in Mrs. Mizu's hair. And then he heard her giggle. Yes… giggle. And yes… Mrs. Mizu and Myde were waging a small potato fight at the dinner table… in front of guests. Even Zexion, who had watched Myde for five days, looked just a bit stunned at what was transpiring right in front of their eyes. Axel turned to Myde's father only to be shocked again. He was calmly eating his food as though the display in front of him was either not happening or was such a common occurrence as to be used to it. Either way, he was calmly sitting there, not even glancing up as another piece of potato sailed past his head to land directly on Myde's noise. Of all the things that Axel could have ever expected to happen tonight at dinner, this was not one of them.

The small food fight, which was entirely between Myde and his mother, lasted for another few minutes- with both Axel and Zexion looking on with something akin to amazement- before settling down into small little puffs of laughter from the two Mizu's. It was obvious where Myde had gotten his fun loving personality from. Mrs. Mizu settled down, taking a large sip from her glass of water before turning her gaze on the two guests that she had not forgotten about during her little play time.

Myde rarely saw his parents and even more rarely ate dinner with them. This caused Mrs. Mizu to have many guilty feelings. Thus, when they did eat dinner together they always had the small food fight. The only thing that changed was what they flung at each other each different time they played the small game. The food fight was a small way to make up for not always being around. Myde enjoyed it and so did she. Her husband did not particularly care either way and so the fight had continued through the years. She looked at her guests and saw the barely disguised stunned looks on their faces. And she giggled yet again. She felt so young when she was with her son. And now he had friends… she was so happy for him.

"So… how did the two of you meet Myde? Were you in a class together?" Myde looked up from the dinner that he was now trying to eat instead of throw and looked almost panicked.

"You've got that right, Mrs. Mizu. We met this semester in his… physics class. We're here because of a project that we had to do together. That's how we met, actually." Axel put his signature smile on as he waited for Mrs. Mizu to accept the lie.

"Really? What was this project on?"

"It's an Our Choice project. We haven't chosen yet. We may do something on Murphy's Law." Before Axel could answer, Zexion had spoken up- the first words he had said to anybody since dinner had begun.

"Really? That sounds… fascinating- most definitely." Mrs. Mizu, Axel noted, was not meant to be an actress. But at least she tried.

"It is, Mama: most definitely interesting." Myde put one of his smiles on and his mother melted and dropped the subject. Unfortunately, the new topic of discussion was perhaps worse than the first.

"So, sweetie… have you met any cute guys lately? You should start dating. I feel as though you don't get out enough." Mrs. Mizu only smiled when her son choked on the glass of water that he had just rose to his lips and then spewed it across the table. She grinned when it sprayed Zexion in the face.

* * *

Dinner was by no means a quiet affair after this. The Mizu family slipped into a gentle camaraderie with easy banter flying between them. It was obvious to Zexion and Axel that the love they felt for each other was very strong. Zexion wanted to grab his notebook and take more notes on this. This was a perfect display of what he had needed to watch for in his mission. Axel held no such desires for he was not a researcher. No, Axel held a different desire all together: he wanted to join them.

Axel had never had a real family. Even his Somebody had been alone for the most part. Because of this, Axel had been weak and susceptible to the darkness. Because of this, he had turned into a Nobody. The obvious love that the Mizu family held for each other was so apparent; it was practically glowing from their every pore. And Axel wished that this love could include him.

'_What is this feeling? I shouldn't be feeling this way. I can't feel. But if I could… would this be what I wanted? A… family? A loving family, with a beautiful home?_' Axel's thoughts slipped back to another time and place; back to when he was a Somebody. And he felt so horrible and unclean. Perhaps being a Nobody was his punishment; a punishment that had been long overdue.

No one noticed the slip in Axel's careful façade and so no one commented on it. Eventually, he shook off the old thoughts and turned back to the conversation taking place. The water incident had already been forgotten by everybody but the two Nobodies. Somehow, Axel had a feeling that Zexion wouldn't soon forget it. Perhaps because he had been immediately taken to change and was now in Myde's clothing while his own were cleaned for the second time that day. Myde's clothing was, to say the least, too big for Zexion. They engulfed his small form and made it seem as though Zexion was even smaller than he actually was. Axel could tell that Zexion enjoyed being in Myde's clothing.

'_Boy does he have it bad. Never took him for the type to swing that way. For that matter, never took him for the type to be interested in either sex. I have been surprised yet again. Perhaps Zexion is… somewhat human. As human as we can get.'_

"Why don't the two of you stay for the night? It's already past eleven o'clock. I'm sure all three of you are tired." Axel whipped his head around to stare at Mrs. Mizu in surprise. They were done with dinner and were all pitching in with cleaning the table.

'_She's offering to let us stay in her house? She is quite the trusting type. Not that Zexion and I have any intention of doing anything yet. I wonder how she'll feel when Myde's gone.'_ Axel noticed that Myde was looking slightly panicked and knew that if the two of 

them stayed over, his questions would be answered. Whether they were truthful or not didn't matter, because Myde would never know the difference.

"Why, Mrs. Mizu, that is so nice of you to do that. If it's alright with Myde, I'd be perfectly willing to stay and so would Ze-Ienzo." Axel cringed inwardly.

'_Damn it, Axel! Keep your head in the game and don't forget that he's not going by his name here! Ugh- you're going to jeopardize everything! Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, __**stupid**__!'_

While Axel insulted himself in his thoughts, Myde looked at the two of them and then at his mother and slowly nodded. It was time to get his answers.

* * *

Dinner was over and they were in Myde's room, getting ready for bed. Although Myde was tall, his height still did not match Axel's and so his pajamas were too short for Axel. Therefore, Axel did not wear them and contented himself with stripping down to his boxers. Zexion enjoyed being in Myde's huge clothing and so did not bother changing.

Myde just watched them, wondering if they should have the Q and A now or in the morning. Although he was dying to find out the answers to his burning questions, he didn't want his mother or father to hear them or anything. They didn't need to know this. And Myde couldn't understand why he didn't tell his parents about his stalker and the stalker's strange 'friend'. Myde still didn't really believe that Axel was Ienzo's friend… or roommate.

"Well… do we want to get this over with now or later? Cause, you know, I'm kind of tired and I think we should go to bed." Axel was, of course, being his usual, cocky, take charge self.

"He's probably right, Myde. We don't need your parents to hear and, quite frankly, I'm tired as well. And I'm still sick." Ienzo finally spoke up for the first time since the water incident.

Myde looked at him in surprise and then quickly nodded. He was beginning to think that he would do anything if Ienzo wanted it.

The night did not go as planned, though. Two hours later and Axel was still awake. The odd thing was that he really was tired and did want to sleep. But he had too much on his mind and he couldn't relax and fall into slumber. Things were not going as planned. He was supposed to have gotten Zexion and then gone back to The Castle That Never Was. Gods, what a long name that was. Xemnas was a character, for sure, to have come up with such a name.

Axel's mind slipped further and further into wondering about the decision of naming the castle such as it was and away from the other troubling thoughts plaguing his mind until he finally fell into a sleep, still thinking of the name of the castle.

Myde, on the other hand, was also awake and his thoughts were not as easy to put aside as Axel's had been. He slipped from his bed and padded down to the kitchen. He needed his pick-me-up drink: chocolate milk. He opened the refrigerator door and took out the necessary ingredients. He went to mix them when he heard footsteps on the stairs. He turned around to see his mother step through the doorway. She turned the light on and Myde made a noise as his pupils dilated in the sudden light.

"Oh, sorry, sweetie: I didn't see you there. What are you doing up at this time? Are Axel and Ienzo asleep? I would have thought that you would stay up all night and talk to each other. You know- regular sleepover tactics."

"Oh, they're asleep. Yeah, they were really tired. I would be asleep, too, but I had some thoughts going through my head and decided to come down here."

"Chocolate milk? I never was able to understand why that, of all things, was so comforting to you. Would you make me some, please?"

"Of course, Mama."

Myde went back to mixing the milk and chocolate and a comforting silence descended upon the kitchen. He soon plunked the glass in front of her and sat down, sipping on his own thoughtfully.

"Mama, are you really okay with me being gay? I know that you would support me either way, but are you really okay with my decision? If I actually found a guy and fell in love, would you still love me?"

Andrea Mizu was shocked. "Honey! Why would you ever think anything different?! I love you and always will, no matter what your choice of bed partner. What's causing you to suddenly think this? Is this why you couldn't sleep?"

"That and other things. Mama… I never thought that I would ever actually find someone that I would like- _like that_-, and I was just wandering if you were okay with my… orientation because of this fact. And now… I think I've found someone who… interests… me. If I… did start dating… would you be comfortable with that?" Myde was so uncomfortable. Coming out to his parents had been so nerve-wracking. This, somehow, was even worse because now it was a done fact.

"Oh! You have? Who is it? Is it Axel or Ienzo? Or is it someone else?! Sweetie, I forbid you to think such thoughts. I love you no matter what and I don't think that your orientation matters. You are still my sweet and wonderful boy. You will make some guy so happy one day. Who couldn't love you? I have absolutely no intention of ever being uncomfortable about this. I'm happy for you. I've been so worried about you. You are in no way introverted and yet you never talk about any friends. I was so ecstatic when I walked through the door and saw those two there. You're finally getting back to who you used to be."

Myde's mother was incredibly happy. All that she wanted was for her baby to be happy and in love; to not be alone. She cursed having to leave him everyday till late at night. For the most part, they barely arrived back home in time to say goodnight to him. It frustrated her because she knew how lonely he was. He never smiled as much as he used to and he didn't offer conversation as much as he used to. She was worried. Or rather… she had been worried. Somehow she had a feeling that Myde wouldn't feel so lonely anymore. And this made her so happy.

"I think I really like Ienzo, Mama. There's something about him. He's nothing like me but he intrigues me so much. He's quiet and almost cold but there's some kind of… warmth in his eyes that gets to me. I've never felt this way before. What should I do?"

"You know exactly what you need to do. If you like Ienzo then go after him. Tell him how you feel. See if he reciprocates. And if he does then go from there."

"But what if he doesn't? What am I saying…? It shouldn't matter whether or not he likes me." Of course, Myde couldn't tell her that Ienzo probably did like him and that this was probably his reason for stalking him, because that would have destroyed everything that he had already done to protect them.

"You'll never know until you try. You'll always regret it if you don't. I can't tell you what to do with this. It's your decision. I can't do anything to change that and I don't want to."

"Thanks, Mama. I'll let things be for now. I want to find out some things first."

"Okay. You go with a pace that you feel comfortable with."

Myde smiled at her- once again it was his beautiful and sweet smile; the smile that melted anyone who looked at it.

It certainly did so for the blue haired man standing in the shadows of the stairs. Zexion crept back upstairs and contemplated this new complication. The scariest thing to him was that he didn't really mind it. He, to be perfectly honest, enjoyed it.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Six: Mousikos, 13loves8loves9loves6, Riku-stalker, sorakairi forever, Serexion, The Flurry of Dancing Flames, NaroRau.**


	8. All Is Revealed Right?

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates. Dude, this is getting really tiring to say... or write.

A/N: I hope ya'll are appreciating all the work I put into fixing this up. Then again, I'm probably the only one who notices the changes.

Dedication: To Riku-stalker, again, 'cause I don't need a reason, even though I do.

**Originally Published: 12/18/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

* * *

**_Chapter Eight: All Is Revealed… _Right_?_**

Axel woke up the next morning and bounded up off of the floor- only to regret doing so immediately. His back hurt! Even his shitty excuse of a bed was better than Myde's floor. He vowed that he would never do this sort of thing ever again.

He moved, then cursed as his foot caught in the pile of bedding he had slept in and he crashed to the floor. Axel may have a thin body but it didn't mean that he didn't weigh a lot. It was all because of his height. It just made him look thin. In fact he was a healthy 160 pounds and so, when he crashed to the floor, the resulting noise was enough to wake up the other occupant in the room.

"Wha…? Axel, Gods damn it. I want to sleep, not be awakened by your heavy body hitting the ground." Zexion poked his head up from beneath the covers of the bed. Because he was sick Myde had made him take the bed instead of the floor. Myde was nowhere to be found.

"Oh… I am so sorry, Zexion. Excuse me for tripping and waking your royal self." Axel lifted his head from its position on the floor and glared at Zexion. Zexion merely sent him a look of disdain and burrowed his head back into the bedding.

Axel grumbled and lifted his body from the floor. Whatever happened to saying good morning? Some things never changed; Zexion's abundantly clear mood was one such thing. For not having a heart and, therefore, no feelings, Zexion seemed to be in a perpetual bad mood. Then again, it was early in the morning and most people were not themselves during this time.

Axel did not fit into this common category. Actually, he was far from it. Axel woke up every morning in time to see the sunrise. He believed that it made up for not being able to feel anything; as though no one could feel anything when faced with such daunting beauty. In Axel's mind it made perfect sense. Then again, no one had ever professed to understand the inner workings of Axel's mind and so no one could tell if what he thought made sense to the common person or not.

Unfortunately for Axel, this morning he had not woken up in time and so had missed the sunrise by mere minutes. It didn't really matter if he didn't have an alarm clock. He had an internal alarm that woke him up around a certain time every morning. It was just unfortunate that, this time, his internal alarm had awoken him a little too late. Axel lifted a hand to his neck and scratched. He had no idea what to do. His usual morning routine had already been disrupted so he didn't know if he should continue with it or do something new. It was about this time that Zexion sat straight up in the bed and looked around wildly.

"Where's Myde?"

Axel suddenly had a feeling that things were not going to go well that day. Whatever happened to waking up to a sunrise and eating pancakes?

* * *

A guitar rested on Myde's lap and he would occasionally pick it up and strum a few chords on it. A pencil rested in his mouth and he would occasionally take it out and place it upon a piece of paper and write. A pensive expression graced his face and it would occasionally lift to reveal a frustrated expression. Myde was writing and it was not going well.

Ienzo was all that Myde could think about. It was even starting to annoy him. Myde couldn't understand why he couldn't get Ienzo out of his mind. This had caused him to turn to writing. It was common for Myde to start working on a new piece of music whenever he was frustrated or confused. It was a way to release the feelings.

It usually worked, but, this morning, all Myde wanted to do was write about Ienzo's hair. Oh, that _hair_. Myde wanted to dip his hands in and just luxuriate in it. It was so soft and such a beautiful color. Myde had never thought that he would ever like someone with naturally blue hair- Hell, he had never thought it was possible to have blue hair that didn't come from a bottle- but he definitely liked Ienzo's hair. He wanted to use it to yank Ienzo close and kiss the hell out of him. And… and….

'_God __damn__ it! I'm getting sidetracked again! Ienzo, damn you; why do you have to be so gorgeous? And hot and kissable and… and… and… my fucking __**STALKER**__! Oh, this could put me in therapy. This could really put me over the bend and through the loop- and the fact that I just said that shows that I definitely need to get a therapist. This is your entire fault, Ienzo. Why do you have to be so darn cute? I don't even know why I think you're cute. Okay that's a complete lie. And I'm talking to myself. Just go back to writing, Myde. You'll feel better for it. You will.'_

Myde was confused, to say the least. Ienzo was his stalker, but, with every moment that passed by, he was beginning to care less and less about this fact. In fact, Myde was starting to be thankful for Ienzo. If he hadn't stalked Myde, then they would never have met. And Myde was not regretting that little fact at all.

Myde lifted his head from its dejected position as a sound from the stairs carried over to his area. Ienzo and Axel were sitting on the stairs and looking at him gravely. Myde knew that this was it. His parents were already gone to work and they were all alone. And Myde felt sick. He didn't want to know any more.

* * *

Zexion knew this was it. He didn't want to lie to Myde. But he definitely didn't want to tell the truth. And he shouldn't even care about telling lies. He was a master of deception and lying to one person should not have been this hard. But he had to do it. And no matter what, Zexion did what he had to do. It was what had gotten him into this trouble in the first place.

"Good morning, Myde. Did you sleep well?" What had he just asked him?! What sort of question was that?! Zexion nearly shook his head in frustration. He was letting things get the better of him.

"Good morning, Ienzo. I slept fine. Good morning, Axel. I trust you slept well, also," Myde answered. He was still looking at them as though he was afraid of what they would say. And Zexion knew that these civilities were merely an attempt to stave the questioning for longer. Zexion knew then that Myde no longer wanted to know.

"Actually, Myde, I've slept better. Your floor is definitely not as comfortable as your bed." Myde started to laugh at Axel's answer but then ended abruptly. It was definitely not funny, considering the circumstances.

"Sorry, Axel; I can't help how uncomfortable my floor is." Axel snorted and he and Zexion got up from the staircase and made their way over to Myde.

The time had come. They settled on the couch next to Myde and then proceeded to stare at him. No one knew what to say. How should they start? How was this going to go? Everyone's thoughts revolved around the upcoming Q and A. Axel and Zexion were wondering if Myde would accept their lies. Myde was wondering if he would be able to go through with this.

"_So_… I suppose we should start, huh?" Zexion was the first to break the silence.

Myde looked at them for a moment longer then moved his head to the side and down. He stared at the scribbles on the paper sitting on the coffee table next to the sofa. One word stared up at him. Was it possible to fall in love with someone you had only met recently? Myde was beginning to think that it was certainly plausible. He felt more for Ienzo then he had ever felt for anyone. He began to speak.

"I don't really want to know, anymore. I never really did, to tell the truth. I do have one question, though. I only started realizing that I was being followed the day before yesterday. I've been a bit… out of things, lately. How long have you been following me?" Myde raised his head back up and looked straight into Zexion's eyes.

Zexion took a deep breath. If he could feel, he would have been relieved. As it was he felt nothing, but was that just because he couldn't feel or was it something else?

"For five days- since the day of the concert. I saw you up there and heard you sing and… all that was going through my head was that you were beautiful. Something about you had entranced me and I… couldn't stop looking. I followed you home. I saw you nearly die at least three times during that walk home. I wanted to help you so much. I… I couldn't help but keep watch. There was something about you that just… I don't know." Myde's breath had caught during this little speech and only released upon its completion. He closed his eyes. Zexion felt… relieved. He had actually told the truth. It wasn't the complete truth, no, but it was close enough. And it was more than Myde had said that he wanted to know. Zexion stared at him, willing him to say something.

Axel looked between the two of them. He knew that this was serious. Zexion was confessing to something very private. Axel felt a bit like an intruder. He got up from the end of the sofa and went up the stairs to the kitchen. They deserved privacy for this. And he was hungry. He hadn't had breakfast.

* * *

Myde kept his eyes closed. He didn't know what to say or even think. Ienzo had answered all of the questions Myde hadn't asked. And he was glad for it. He hadn't had to ask him and he still had found out. He supposed he felt flattered. He had never considered himself to be beautiful or anything of the kind. In fact, he had always thought himself to be somewhat plain. After all, who wanted boring dirty dishwater blond hair? It certainly wasn't Ienzo's alluring blue hair. And he was back to Ienzo's hair. He wanted to laugh now. He really couldn't get his mind off of it.

A snort escaped from his mouth and he opened his eyes to find Ienzo staring at him. He backed his head away slowly. Something about Ienzo's staring was making him nervous. What was he thinking? And where was Axel? Myde felt grateful that he wasn't there to be privy to this. Myde was so nervous and uncomfortable. He didn't know what to say so he just chose to sit there and stare back at Ienzo. Then Ienzo opened his mouth.

"Myde? I'm sorry. I really am. I never meant to hurt you or make you nervous. I definitely never intended for you to find out about this. I was just going to look at you for a while and then I would go back to my life. I never thought you would be gutsy enough to actually try and catch me. Well, I never thought you would notice me doing this in the first place."

Myde stared at him. Not find out? How exactly did he think that Myde wouldn't be able to find out? Ienzo looked down and blushed. The pale face flushed to the tip of his ears and Myde couldn't help but stare at him in fascination. Ienzo was so… cute when he blushed.

Myde looked around him and then, before he could really think about his decision, lunged forward and took Ienzo's face between his hands. Myde pulled Ienzo's face up; he held a look of utter surprise on his face. Myde slid his hands in that luxurious hair like he had wanted to all morning and connected their lips.

* * *

Zexion gasped. This was certainly not what he had expected. Oh, those _hands_. Those wonderful, musician hands were in his hair and they were rubbing the back of his skull. Then Zexion snapped back to the fact that he was being kissed and he almost panicked. He had never kissed anybody before. How was he supposed to do this? Then his mind shut down and instinct took over.

He slid his hands up to Myde's face and pressed their lips together harder. He tilted the angle of his head and then slipped his tongue out to lick at the seam of Myde's lips. They tasted almost salty. What had Myde eaten for breakfast? Myde gasped and Zexion took this opportunity to slip his tongue inside of Myde's mouth. He licked the roof of Myde's mouth and Myde laughed. They broke apart.

Zexion smiled. "Are you ticklish, Myde?"

"I guess so." Myde smiled back at him and then kissed him again.

Zexion once again sent his tongue into Myde's mouth. This time, he didn't lick the roof of his mouth. He began to slide his tongue against Myde's. Shouldn't this feel disgusting? It didn't, though, and it was obvious that Myde liked it, because he began to reciprocate. Myde began to move his tongue with Zexion's and even went so far as to try to put his in Zexion's mouth. He probably would have succeeded if there hadn't been a discrete cough behind him.

They broke apart and turned around to find Myde's mother behind them. She wore a grin on her face and both Zexion and Myde flushed a deep red. Axel walked up behind her. He, too, wore a grin on his face.

"_So_… _Ienzo_; forget to mention something to me?"

Both boys looked towards him and Myde's mother and then gulped. There went a perfect moment.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Seven: Riku-stalker, Lekky, Serexion, sorakairi forever, 13loves8loves9loves6, Aeronaut Dreamer, youkai chick supreme.**


	9. Punishment

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates. Blah, blah, blah- as if any of this is new.

A/N: Blah.

Dedication: Riri, who was so nice to post the first version of this when I couldn't. Isn't that just such a sweet thing to do?

**Originally Published: 12/25/07**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

* * *

_**Chapter Nine: Punishment**_

For some reason, Zexion had only one phrase going through his mind as he stared at Myde's mother. '_Shit faced and sorry in the morning_'. It didn't even seem to particularly be an apt phrase for the current situation he was in. Okay, so, yes- it was the morning, but he wasn't sorry for having kissed Myde. In fact, he was commending himself on having done so (conveniently forgetting that Myde had been the one to initiate the kiss).

He certainly wasn't shit faced either. Maybe he was a little punch drunk from the kiss but it still didn't mean he was shit faced. So, he had no true reason for having that particular phrase stuck in his head- except for the identical looks on Axel's and Mrs. Mizu's face.

Zexion realized that his hands were still on Myde's face, and, with an audible gasp, he snatched them away and backed up quickly, nearly falling off the couch in his haste to move away. Myde was practically glaring at his mother. He had reason to be upset after all.

Zexion practically wanted to glare at her and probably would have done so except for the fact that he was blushing too hard. His blush only deepened when Axel nearly fell down from laughing so hard. The blush practically covered his entire body when Myde's mother joined Axel on the floor.

"Mama! Stop it. Now! Please. Pretty please. You're making us blush. Stop. Oh, God, I'm sorry, Ienzo; so sorry. Mama!"

No matter how much Myde pleaded with his mother (he didn't even try to plead with Axel: somehow he knew that doing so wouldn't work in his favor), he was unable to stop her laughter. It only abated after nearly twenty minutes had passed. Axel was still laughing, though, and so Zexion got up, went over to him, and kicked him near a very precious spot for males.

"Ow! God damn it, Ze- Ienzo! That fucking hurt! You son of a bitch!"

"Tsch, tsch. Bad Axel; watch your language." Zexion nearly smiled when Axel only glared at him.

Myde started to snigger behind them. He tried to cover it up because it was probably not a good idea to piss Axel off but when Axel turned said glare at him he couldn't help but burst into huge guffaws of laughter. The sound of his laughter was able to make Zexion really smile. It was incredibly infectious. Myde's mother only looked on with affection. She was so happy that her son had these two in his life.

Axel stopped glaring because it was obviously not doing its job and remembered why he had come downstairs in the first place. Besides following Myde's mother- who had suddenly shown up and still hadn't answered the reason as to why she was there, or why she had instinctively made her way towards the basement- he'd come down for a reason. His face grew serious quickly. Things were not good.

"Ienzo… there's a reason I came downstairs. I… received a message from… our _fathers_ who wants us to come to _home _right now. They say that we're late with coming home and want to talk to us. So, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to be going. Like now."

With every word that passed from Axel's lips, Zexion's face paled until he was practically as white as a ghost. Zexion quickly nodded, then looked back at Myde. He didn't want to leave him. Myde was special and made Zexion feel. Zexion wanted to keep this feeling. He didn't know if, by leaving Myde, he would be able to keep this feeling.

* * *

Myde didn't understand. Weren't Axel and Ienzo roommates? Wasn't that what Axel had said? Or did they still live with their parents? Or was that just a cover up for his mother, who was still in the room and was looking on the scene with confusion at the pair? Yes, that was probably it.

Although, it still didn't explain exactly where or why Axel and Ienzo had to go or the reason that Ienzo had blanched so suddenly. And why would Ienzo leave so soon after their kiss? Didn't he like it? It had certainly seemed like he liked it. Or maybe Myde was just fooling himself, thinking that someone like Ienzo could ever like him enough to want to be with him.

'_No! You've got it wrong, Myde! He likes you! If he didn't, he wouldn't have participated so enthusiastically. You're just being a silly goose. Silly goose- ha! You're being neurotic, that's what you're being. And stop arguing with yourself! Oh. This is so confusing. It's making my head hurt. Stop thinking about it; it will only make things worse.'_

Myde had slipped off into lala land and so did not see Ienzo and Axel say goodbye and thank you to his mother. He also did not see Axel and his mother slip back upstairs, leaving him alone with Ienzo. It was only when a pair of cool lips grazed his cheek that Myde awoke from his state of mind and tuned into what was happening around him. He looked up to see Ienzo staring at him, a sad expression on his face.

"Myde… I don't want to go but I kinda have to. But I will be back. I don't know if I… could ever stay away from you. Not now. I'm sorry for having stalked you. I truly am. But I'm glad I did because, otherwise, I probably would never have met you. And that I don't regret at all. For the first time, I feel… good. I feel alive, again." Myde just looked at him. Any doubts that he'd had were silenced. Although the last bit was a little bit too cryptic for his taste.

Before Myde could think about his last words, Ienzo grabbed his head in the same fashion that Myde had done to him in the previous kiss, and locked their lips once more. He knew that this would probably be their last kiss for a long time and wanted to make the most of it.

Therefore, he made no protest when Myde slipped his tongue into Ienzo's mouth and let their tongues slide together. Eventually, though, he fought back and won the right to slip his wet muscle into Myde's mouth. His hands began to wonder across Myde's front and around his back. Myde's began to do the same with Ienzo's body. They never went past each other's waists, though. Somehow, instinctively, they knew that the kiss was better without adding more to it. Eventually, though, Ienzo separated from Myde and let his hands fall off of him.

"I have to go. Thank you, Myde. I think if I could… never mind. Goodbye. I hope to see you again." Ienzo bounded off the couch and up the stairs before Myde was able to utter another word.

It was another five minutes before Myde was able to snap out of the daze the kiss had left him in. He suddenly felt sad. He had a feeling that Ienzo's reason for leaving wasn't as simple as the two had let it seem. He wondered if he would ever see Ienzo again. A slight noise behind him alerted him to another presence in the room. He turned around to see his mother sitting on the stairs behind him, a happy and satisfied look on her face. She certainly had no idea that things weren't as they seemed. He realized something and gasped.

"Mama, I think I might be in love."

* * *

Zexion rushed to keep up with Axel. As soon as they turned a corner and were out of sight of Myde's house, they slipped into an alley and opened a dark portal. They slipped through, Zexion panting and trying to ask Axel as to what was going on. He knew that the Superior was probably angry but he didn't really know why. Then he remembered that, technically, he was supposed to have reported back the day before. Not following the Superior's orders was not a good idea.

"You… were… sent to… bring me… back, weren't you?" He managed to slip out between his gasps of agony (he was not an athletic person).

"Oh, yeah, and the fact that I'm nearly a day in returning doesn't bode well for me, either. You got me into trouble. Damn you. I'm still going to punish you for this. After Superior finishes with the both of us, you have a date with my chakra." Axel sounded as though he was perfectly fine, not winded at all.

Zexion winced. That didn't sound good. Damn it. He wasn't that good of a fighter.

They opened another portal and stepped through, entering The Castle That Never Was. Almost immediately, another portal opened and a man stepped from it. With a scar crossing his face, one eye, and gray and white streaked hair in a ponytail, he seemed a formidable opponent. If it weren't for the fact that Zexion and Axel knew that Xigbar would rather play a prank on them then kill them, they probably would have cowered in terror. As it was, they winced for Xigbar was smirking.

"Hey there, guys. Superior wants you. And he's mighty mad. Oh, I can hear the screams already." Then again, perhaps they should be frightened.

This did not sound good.

* * *

Xemnas knew the instant that the two Nobodies had returned. He smiled maliciously, although he was feeling anything but mirth.

Axel and Zexion portalled to their respective seats in the room, hoods drawn up, and bodies tense. They weren't allowed to have their hood down in his presence unless otherwise told.

"Numbers VI and VIII, I'm so glad to see that you finally decided to join me here in my humble abode. You truly have no idea how…_ happy_… it makes me."

If it was possible, the two Nobodies tensed even more. Xemnas was starting to enjoy this. Oh, when would his Kingdom Hearts be done? He wanted to really feel this enjoyment once more.

"Take the hoods off. I won't punish you- at least… not too harsh. The both of you are going on missions, though. And this time, I expect you to follow my directions right down to the last letter. Axel, you are to go to… uhahah… Atlantica, and try to steal the Trident. Zexion, you are to go to Agrabah and eradicate the Heartless there. No 

backup. I wish I could draw this out more but I have a prior engagement that I need to go to. Don't expect me to go so light on you next time." Xemnas nearly smirked. He knew that neither Axel nor Zexion would enjoy their respective missions. He opened a portal and left the two sitting in their seats.

Axel and Zexion looked at each other. They both winced. Zexion was not much of a fighter and Axel trying to steal the Trident in a water filled world was going to be tough. The missions would not be easy for either of them. Then they thought of an idea, and both went to open their mouths to voice it when Xemnas once again entered the room.

"And no switching your missions, either," he said before leaving yet again.

Both men slumped back down in their seats, dejected expressions gracing their faces.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Eight: The Flurry of Dancing Flames, Moogles With Flamethrowers, Serexion, 13loves8loves9loves6, sorakairi forever, Riku-stalker, youkai chick supreme, TwintailCat.**


	10. Dealing With Being Apart

Disclaimer: It's the same damn thing every time. I think ya'll have got by now that I don't own the dang thing. I don't even own a copy of KH2.

A/N: Still hoping that you're enjoying the slight changes. Hopefully it's easier to read, now.

Dedication: Rayne-chan, Riri, Ra'dee, and Crystal Royale, who really helped me during a trying time in my life.

**Originally Published: 3/16/08. First copy was beta-ed by Serexion.**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

* * *

_**Chapter Ten: Dealing With Being Apart**_

Myde couldn't concentrate. He was like a love sick puppy. All of his thoughts were centered on Ienzo and he hadn't heard from him in two days. Myde was beginning to worry and, as such, he couldn't concentrate on his usual day to day tasks.

He sat in his math class, not listening to the teacher or copying down the notes, not completing the class work he and his classmates had been assigned- not doing anything but staring down at his desk. His white, lined paper (meant for the class work he was _supposed_ to be doing) was blank. If he were the type to draw, Ienzo's, and even Axel's (for some odd reason that he couldn't figure out, Myde actually _liked_ the man- not as much as Ienzo, though), faces would have been doodled all over the page.

However, Myde wasn't the type to draw; whenever he tried, all that he managed to do were crooked stick figures. But, Myde was able to do something that could possibly take his mind off of his depressing thoughts. He picked up his pencil and began to do what he did best.

_Another day without your smile_

_Another day just passes by_

_But now I know how much it means_

_For you to stay right here with me_

_The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger_

_But it hurts so bad that I can't take it any longer_

… Or maybe not. Myde sighed in disgust. He never used to be this sappy. Ienzo had changed him. Myde still wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He loved Ienzo, of that he was certain. Even though he had only known Ienzo for a day (in retrospect, it seemed like such a short amount of time), that blue haired man had wormed his way into Myde's heart.

Myde loved everything about Ienzo. The way his pale face flushed whenever Myde looked at him. The way he seemed to grow nervous when Myde started talking to him. The way he seemed like he couldn't stand Axel but, even so, they still seemed to share a camaraderie that Myde would probably never be able to understand. The way he acted cocky and thoughtful but seemed to turn into blubber around Myde. Even the way he had stalked Myde.

Myde still scoffed at that. Had Ienzo really thought that Myde wouldn't notice that he was being watched and followed all the time? Myde was flattered… in a strange way. And Ienzo's looks were nothing to laugh at. And he seemed to be definitely interested in Myde.

Myde didn't really understand that. What was so interesting about him? He was almost eighteen years old but he was still childish in many ways (he still called his mother mama, if that gave a clue to anyone), he definitely wasn't a looker in any sense of the word, and there was nothing truly different about him that deserved the attention that Ienzo had given him.

Still… Myde couldn't help but like how Ienzo made him feel as though he was the only one on the planet. The only one worth seeing, the only one worth loving. It was just a bit heady to Myde.

Yes, it was certainly true that the two young men felt something for each other. So it did not come as a surprise to anyone that knew of the situation (namely Mrs. Mizu) that Myde was worried and just a little bit depressed that Ienzo had not been seen or heard from in two days. Mrs. Mizu hadn't even wanted Myde to go to school that morning after it had become _painfully_ obvious that Myde wasn't quite all there.

He'd had five successive accidents that morning, ranging from falling down the stairs (Mrs. Mizu wasn't worried about that; Myde wasn't the most graceful person in the world and often fell down the stairs and even, on some more memorable occasions, up the stairs) to squirting ketchup on his toothbrush instead of toothpaste to spacing out so quickly that the pancakes he had been cooking for breakfast that morning were turned into small, round, black and crispy disks that would probably have been put to better use as hockey pucks instead of his meal.

When he had proceeded to eat the hockey puck-like pancakes without even considering just how inedible they truly were, Mrs. Mizu had seriously considered letting Myde stay home from school that day. Her son was not happy, and therefore, neither was she. She feared that Myde would get lost or injured in his current state if he did not stay home.

Myde hadn't wanted to stay at home, though. He had hoped that school would be a good distraction, and that he would be able to take his mind of Ienzo. It wasn't working, though, as seen by the paper in front of him, no longer white or blank but filled with his pathetic excuse for handwriting. People had even noticed the change in him.

Myde was a bubbly, outgoing person who loved to talk to people. He didn't have many close friends (in fact he could say that he had no close friends because people found that they were only able to handle his personality in very small doses) but he was still well known in the school. His fellow students liked him and thought he was a nice person. The fact that they didn't hang out with him was not because he wasn't liked.

So, when Myde no longer chattered inanely in class to everyone and only stared at his desk or out the window, a somber expression on his usually upbeat and sunny face, people noticed. Some had even commented on his lack of interest in life. It was like the spark that made Myde, well, _Myde,_ was gone. No one liked seeing him like this.

It was bothering Myde even more. They had never paid attention to him before so he didn't understand why they were doing so now. Was he really behaving that differently? Was Ienzo's disappearance really affecting him that much? How had he gotten so involved in such a short amount of time with someone that he didn't really know? He didn't even know Ienzo's last name. Hell, he didn't even know if Ienzo was his first name.

Myde didn't really like thinking that Ienzo had lied to him, though. That was no way to start a relationship. Of course, the way their relationship had started was quite unorthodox and any conventional rules that were used in most relationships were thrown out the window quite early, if they had ever been there in the first place.

And exactly who was Axel to Ienzo? It was obvious that they knew each other. Ienzo had never denied that he knew Axel. It was all just a confusing mess and it was starting to make Myde's head throb and pulse in pain.

Myde dropped his head in his hands and sighed yet again. He ran his hands through his hair, not noticing that all the teenagers around him were staring at him with puzzled, concerned, and worried looks on their faces. A small girl came up to him and was about to ask him if he was all right when the bell rang and class ended. Myde jumped almost a foot in the air and looked around him wildly.

He hadn't noticed how much time had exactly passed since he had started ruminating over the facts of his now complicated life. He sprang out of his chair and grabbed his belongings before sprinting out of the class, never noticing that the girl, who had come up to him, was still standing there with a bemused expression on her face.

Myde just couldn't do it, anymore. He was incredibly exhausted, having had next to no sleep since Sunday morning and he just wanted to go home. Ienzo had changed him so much. And with Ienzo's disappearance, things were not looking up.

Myde stopped by his locker, and was trying to open the combination lock (the locks at his school were temperamental and seemed to especially hate Myde for they never worked. It took special finagling to get the lock to open), when he suddenly stopped.

'_What if I just went home? Mom was perfectly fine with letting me stay home from school. I don't think she would mind if I went home. I just can't concentrate and school isn't making it any better. The others are noticing.'_

Myde nodded his head. He didn't want to stay there any longer. He stopped fiddling with his locker and left the school.

He needed a change of scenery. If only he could actually go and find Ienzo. But, with how little Myde actually knew about Ienzo and his life, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Myde would never be able to find Ienzo. It was probably best to just wait for him to come back.

Ienzo would come back to him… right?

* * *

A trickle of sweat rolled down his forehead and Zexion's hand lifted up and swiped at it before it could roll into his eyes and sting them. It did not do any particular good, seeing as how his hand was just as sweaty as his forehead and he only managed to smear the nasty, viscous liquid around. He scoffed in disgust and brought his hand down, sneering at it. He jumped back, suddenly, his attention brought back to the situation at hand.

Several Heartless were moving slowly and steadily towards him. He gulped and got back to work.

He opened his lexicon and sent it whirling through the dry air towards one of the shadows of darkness. The book stopped in front of the Heartless and, when the Heartless raised its face towards it in curiosity, it snapped shut, effectively trapping the Heartless within its pages. Zexion lifted his hand, palm facing outward, and the lexicon floated back to him, shadows of the dead Heartless leaking out from its pages. Zexion quickly sent his weapon back out again, repeating his last motions until the Heartless were defeated.

He stumbled over to a low wall and dropped to his knees. He placed his hands on his thighs and panted in exhaustion. He felt like he was going to suffer from a heatstroke soon. The hot, dusty, and dry air of Agrabah was sapping him of all his strength and dealing with the countless Heartless did not help. Zexion set his back against the wall and leaned his head back, neck raised, Adam's apple raising and lowering with each gulping breath he took.

Zexion conjured the bottle of water he had bought earlier and greedily sucked it down. He nearly threw it back up when it hit his stomach. He could feel it churning, his stomach protesting the invasion. He grimaced and put the water down, holding his hands over his abdomen in hopes that it would soothe and calm his stomach down. Zexion refused to release his lunch and stomach acid in the middle of Agrabah's bazaar.

Zexion licked his parched and cracked lips and sighed as his stomach settled down. Well… his job on this particular world was done.

Now he had to finish his mission with Myde.

He had seriously fucked up things where Myde was concerned. He wasn't supposed to have gotten interested in his subject. He most definitely wasn't supposed to have been caught by his subject. And he most definitely wasn't supposed to have kissed said subject… twice. But… he couldn't help what had happened. And he didn't regret it, either. Myde made his life better. Well… his non-existent life. Zexion was not able to forget that little fact; the fact that his heart had stopped beating a long time ago and Myde's was still going strong.

He was also not able to forget that Myde was slated to become a Nobody. If that happened, Myde would no longer be _Myde_. He would have a different name, a different personality (he wouldn't have a personality), he would be… different. He wouldn't have a heart. He would have no emotions. The smile that always graced his features, his determination, his stubbornness… it would all be gone.

Zexion couldn't let that happen. Myde couldn't be turned into a Nobody. Zexion wouldn't allow it.

Myde would not share his fate.

Zexion's mind raced with thoughts of what to do.

How would he be able to keep Myde from turning?

But… he was working with little information.

The only thing that Zexion did know was that Myde would turn. He would lose his heart and become a Nobody. Zexion didn't know when he would turn, how he would lose his heart, or why he would give up.

It wasn't enough to go on.

How could Zexion keep Myde from his fate?

* * *

Axel was not particularly happy at the moment. He was a pyrotechnic in a water filled world. He was weak, unable to use his powers, and he had a fin. The fact that he was relatively calm considering the amount of travesties he'd had to deal with made Axel very proud. Unfortunately, staying calm was only partly useful at the moment.

Axel stared down in disgust at the blood red fin attached to the bottom half of his body in lieu of his normal legs.

Xemnas was going to pay.

Axel was a merman.

How was he going to be able to steal the Trident when he couldn't really move? He had no idea how to use this new fin.

Axel sighed and began to move forward. He quickly stopped, though, as his hair tickled his shoulder blades, causing Axel to shiver and convulse violently. Axel was somewhat ticklish. Not that he would ever tell anyone this.

He shivered once more and began moving, trying to learn how to use his newly acquired transportation device.

He, unfortunately, had to stop once more as his hair brushed his back again.

Axel was now in a bit of a dilemma. He couldn't move without his hair tickling him and he couldn't deal with that.

"Oh, for the love of the Gods, I am not in a good mood."

Axel turned his head this way and that, trying to find something to tie his hair up with. He spotted a small string of kelp floating nearby and quickly snagged it.

He turned it around and around in his hands, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The thing did not look particularly clean and he really didn't want to put it in his precious hair. But… he had to be able to move.

Axel sighed and, with his nose still wrinkled in disgust, quickly tied the piece of kelp in his hair, making an effective ponytail. Hopefully it would work.

Hopefully.

Axel started forward once more, sighing in relief as his hair stayed away from his sensitive flesh.

Now, what to do.

He had to steal the Trident without getting caught or using his fire powers. Axel figured that Xemnas was probably laughing his head off right now.

There was absolutely no way he was going to be able to steal the Trident. No way in Hell.

Axel cursed, a stream of bubbles escaping from his mouth and rising up to the surface far away. How was he going to do this?

Perhaps the easiest way would be to get someone else from this world to steal it.

The only hard part was finding someone who was dumb enough to steal from King Triton.

And that person had to be a descendent of King Triton.

This was impossible.

* * *

Zexion returned to the Castle That Never Was later that day after he had recuperated from his arduous mission.

He didn't particularly want to be here. He would rather be with Myde, but he had to report to Xemnas.

He walked to Crooked Ascension (Xigbar's humor was not particularly funny) and the elevator quickly took him up to the as yet unnamed hall. He walked up its path and then decided to portal to Xemnas' office.

He got tired of walking.

Of course, he regretted this decision when he accidently portalled _into_ Xemnas' office instead of outside it, and came upon Xemnas and Saïx in a rather… compromising situation.

"Gah!"

Zexion felt as though his eyes were burning. He pressed the fleshy part of his palms into his eyes, wishing that he could pour rubbing alcohol into them in hopes of getting rid of the images now burned onto his retinas, and quickly backed his way out of the office.

Seeing his Superior and his underling in… _that_ position had scarred him for life.

He heard rustling from inside the office and the effusive cursing of Xemnas and his cheeks burned red. And he had thought that Nobodies weren't able to feel. He sure felt embarrassed.

The door to the office opened and Saïx rushed out, glaring at Zexion. Oh, Zexion was going to have to watch his back now.

"You may come in now, Zexion." Zexion could hear the anger seething in Xemnas' voice.

He was in for it.

Damn.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Nine: Riku-stalker, 13loves8loves9loves6, Serexion, Sora17, Midnight Storm the Hedgedna, Crystal Royale, Mizu Hoseki, youkai chick supreme, sorakairi forever, DearJamie.**


	11. Delimmas in the Making

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it anymore this chapter than I did the last one. Or the one before that.

A/N: Yeesh, doing this over is taxing just a bit. Yeah, I did change Luxord's Somebody's name. A reviewer pointed out my booboo, and I fixed it.

Dedication: All of the original 15 reviewers for this chapter. 'Cause of them, I burst into the double digit reviews with this story.

**Originally Published: 3/22/08**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

**_

* * *

_**

Chapter Eleven: Dilemmas in the Making

"Well, Number VI, we have a bit of a problem. You see, no one was supposed to have known about the… _relationship_ between Number VII and myself. People talk, you know this. Now, I must think about what I'm going to have to do. Obviously, you won't say anything to any of the other members. That's not what I'm worried about. What I'm worried about, is the fact that you portalled into my office- without permission." Xemnas was staring down at the little sand box on his desk, playing with a small stick, dragging it through the sand. It was very therapeutic.

Zexion sat in front of him, knowing exactly what Xemnas was alluding to. He didn't want to, though. He gulped.

"Now, Number VI, why did you portal into my office? Was there any… particular reason? Or was it just to bug me?" Xemnas' icy cold voice interjected.

"I came to tell you that I finished the mission you gave me for Agrabah," Zexion spoke softly and calmly. He could feel that his emotions were leaving him. Why was he becoming emotionless again? Was it being here that did it? Or was it being away from Myde?

"Oh, is that so? That must not have been a very harsh punishment then because you finished fairly quickly. Only," Xemnas checked the clock on his desk, "two days to do it. Axel is still on his mission. I suppose I shall just have to give you an even harsher punishment. And you still haven't finished the mission on checking up with our future Number IX, Myde Mizu."

Zexion was becoming colder and colder. He knew the emotions he had felt before (love, hope, embarrassment) were leaving and being replaced with emptiness. This was so strange. Why was this happening? He was acting as though he had never met Myde.

"I understand, Superior. I did make a mistake in portaling into your office. I had not intended to do so. I have no intention of telling anyone what I saw here and I will take your punishment." Zexion didn't speak coldly. To speak coldly would take just as much emotion as speaking happily or angrily.

No, Zexion couldn't speak coldly. Zexion felt… nothing. No emotion. He couldn't even really remember emotions at the moment… he couldn't remember what they felt like. He couldn't even pretend to have emotions.

Xemnas lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Well, now I don't particularly want to punish you. You're taking this too well. Finally starting to act like the Nobody that you are?"

Zexion didn't answer. Everything was leeching from him and he was more preoccupied with this then with trying to keep Xemnas calm.

Xemnas sighed. "Fine, I won't punish you yet. I want you to finish observing possible Number IX and then report your findings in tomorrow's meeting. Understood? After that, we will come up with your newest punishment."

Zexion nodded and stood up, walking over to the door. His hand was on the doorknob when Xemnas interrupted him.

"Oh, and Zexion… remember that just because you're one of the Original Six doesn't mean that you aren't immune to my wrath."

Zexion understood and nodded. He didn't particularly care about Xemnas' threats. Not now.

If Zexion could feel anything at this moment, it would probably be confusion. Why was he acting this way? Why was he acting like… the Nobody he truly was? He hadn't even acted this way before Myde came into his non-life. Why was every emotion he pretended to have leeching away? It… didn't make sense.

Zexion felt as cold as ice. He… wanted to care about Myde but… with every moment that he spent away from Myde, the less he remembered about the man. And he couldn't even find the emotion to care.

Zexion knew this was wrong. He… had to get to Myde.

Now.

* * *

Axel was moving in circles, thinking.

Who could he persuade to steal King Triton's Trident? Who would be dumb enough (and clever enough) to steal it?

"It has to be someone who knows what goes on in the castle; someone that spends time there. That way they can get in there and find it quickly. They have to be clever enough to steal it and dumb enough to want to steal it. They have to be related to the King. So… who would do this?" Axel thought aloud.

It was truly perplexing. This could take him a while. And he had no idea who to turn to and dupe. Of course, he also had to pick someone that would be susceptible to his lies and decide to steal it for him. Who would do this?

It made Axel's head hurt. The water wasn't helping, either. Water tended to give him a headache. It was all the pressure it put on his body. He wasn't use to it.

Axel settled down on a rock and placed his hand on his chin, a pensive look on his face. If he could feel, this would be the time where he absolutely hated Xemnas.

Of course, he couldn't feel so this imagining ways of torturing Xemnas (_ooh, that one sounds pretty good… he would definitely hate that one!) _was absolutely pointless for him.

Axel entirely hated his logical side. It never let him have any fun. It was always… _logical_.

Axel sighed once more before feeling his hair move in the slight current and brush up against his shoulder blades.

"You know, for the first time in my life, I feel like cutting you off," Axel commented, glaring malevolently at his spiky red hair, wishing its departure.

He did wonder, though… how did his hair move? Water didn't usually move this far down underneath. It needed something moving to move it. So… what was down there with him?

Axel turned his head to the side and looked around for the cause of the water's movement. He moved off of his rock and swam behind it.

Soon, a girl came by, humming to herself and dancing in the water. Axel knew he she was….

She was Aquata, the eldest daughter of King Triton, and the successor to his throne. She was swimming by, not really looking at anything, probably only out to get away from the palace.

Axel smirked. She was perfect.

* * *

Myde slipped his key into the lock of his door and twisted.

It wouldn't open, though. He sighed and shook his head. He had to really be spacey to not be able to turn the key the right way. He turned the key in the opposite direction and was finally able to move into his house.

He moved into the living room and dropped his bag on the couch, turning around and walking into the kitchen. He grabbed a _highly_ nutritious snack of BBQ chips and chocolate syrup (he was in a bad mood), and moved back into the living room, picking up the phone and dropping onto the couch beside his bag.

He called his mother.

"Hello, Andrea Mizu speaking. How may I help you?"

Myde smiled. He loved to hear his mother speak professionally.

"Hey, Mama; I wanted to tell you that I decided to go home. I couldn't take it at school today. Everyone was staring at me. I really think this has gotten to me."

"Oh, ok, sweetie. I'll call your school and tell them that you won't be in school for the rest of the day. How about you try and get some rest? You need it. You haven't been sleeping very well."

"How do you know?"

"Myde, I'm your mother. I know everything. It's called motherly instinct. Plus, I could hear you walking in your room all night. Let's not even mention the bags under your eyes. So, get some rest, ok? Do know that this sort of thing probably won't happen again, so make the best of it."

Myde smiled, loving his mother for just being who she was.

"Okay, Mama. Thanks, I may take you up on that. I feel exhausted."

"… You went for the BBQ chips, didn't you?"

…

"Chocolate syrup, too?"

"… I have a reason."

He heard a sigh and Myde pouted. How did his mother know these things?

"Myde… don't overdo it, okay? I don't need you to get sugar high or sick."

"Yes, Mom."

"Don't you 'yes, Mom' me. Look, get some rest and your father and I will see you tonight. We'll talk then."

"Okay… I love you."

"I love you, too, Myde."

"Bye."

"Mhm. Bye, sweetie."

Myde slowly hung up the phone, putting it down beside him and stared at the chips and syrup on the coffee table in front of him.

He hated bingeing; it made him feel like such a girl. What kind of guy ate chips and chocolate just because they were depressed?

Myde scoffed and curled his nose up at the food in front of him. He took it back to the kitchen and removed himself from the temptation by going upstairs to his room.

He was going to do what all guys did. Listen to blaringly loud music and stew.

He collapsed on his bed and put a Sublime CD on, turning the music up loud. Myde listened to the lyrics for a little while

"_Annie's 12 years old_

_In two more she'll be a whore_

_Nobody ever told her _

_It's the wrong way_

_Don't be afraid _

_With the quickness you'll get laid _

_For your family get paid _

_It's the wrong way"_

Perhaps Sublime wasn't the best to listen to right now.

Myde grimaced and shut his CD player off. So much for that idea.

He couldn't even act depressed in the right way. He shook his head. He really needed Ienzo; if only to talk to him.

* * *

Zexion hurried away from Xemnas' office, trying to get to his room quickly, before Saïx came and hurt him. Zexion didn't need to deal with him right this moment. Not that he really cared at this point.

Zexion hurried to the end of the hallway and then opened a dark portal to his room. He sighed when he reached its safety. He grabbed a bag from beneath his bed and started to stuff regular clothing in it.

He took his cloak off and stood in boxers, wondering what to wear. What would impress Myde the most?

Zexion snorted. Myde probably wouldn't even notice. He didn't even really care if Myde wanted him right now. Zexion was empty on the inside. He did know that feeling this way wasn't healthy. He needed to get Myde. He needed to finish his mission.

Zexion finally decided on a pair of slightly tight dark wash jeans and a cable knit green sweater.

Zexion nodded at his reflection. Even he had to admit that it was simple but he looked good in it.

Zexion turned away from his mirror and towards his desk. He took several papers out of the drawers and took a few books off of the shelves on his walls, stuffing them in the bag as well.

He had to be prepared, right? Even if it was for only one day.

* * *

Myde was still lying on his bed, occasionally nodding off. He couldn't fall entirely to sleep, though. He was too keyed up.

He couldn't turn his thoughts off. He wished there was a key or something that he could use to turn his thoughts off so that he could go to sleep.

Myde rolled over on his bed and sighed. He pulled the ties that kept his drapery open on his bed off, letting the gauzy curtains fall down, and enclosing him within four fabric walls.

He closed his eyes, breathing in and breathing out rhythmically, hoping that meditation would help him to calm down.

He was so exhausted.

It was working, though, so Myde sighed softly and let his mind clear, focusing only on his breathing.

In… out… in… out… in….

Myde slipped off, never noticing the door to his bedroom opening and a small statured, silver-blue haired man slipping in.

He also didn't notice when said man pulled back the curtains of Myde's and looked at him. Nor did he notice when the man he loved and wanted to be with climbed onto the bed and slipped beneath the covers, laying next to Myde and going to sleep.

* * *

Saïx knocked on Xemnas' door. Upon hearing the soft 'come in', he opened the door and slipped in, closing it behind him.

"Hello, Saïx."

"Superior."

"Well… it couldn't have lasted for long anyway. One of the members would have found out eventually. We're lucky that it was Zexion and not one of the others. He won't say anything to any of the others. He has no reason to."

Saïx nodded, and then sighed.

"I suppose that Number VI has not finished his mission with scoping out our possible new member."

"You'd be correct, Saïx. I should only hope that he has gone back to finish the mission now. If he hasn't, he's not as smart as I always thought he was."

Saïx only smiled calmly before breathing in deeply.

"Now, onto other matters: Superior, the moons have predicted that there is another Nobody about to be made."

"Oh, really? I suppose the heavens never lie. And this one's name?"

"Ludor Delacroix."

"Hmm… I suppose I need to assign someone to watching over him, too. Very well, then. Let's see… let Lexaeus do it. Have him come to my office when you see him."

"Yes, Superior."

"Now, is there anything else?"

"No, Superior."

"Good… how about we return to what we were doing before Zexion interrupted us so rudely."

"Of course, Superior."

* * *

In a smoky and dark gaming hell on the world of Port Royale, a blond man with a mustache put his cards down and sneezed violently.

He picked his cards back up and looked down at them.

'_Oh, damn. I lost.'_

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Ten: DearJamie, 13loves8loves9loves6, NaroRau, Mizu Hoseki, The random one, Riku-stalker, Moogles With Flamethrowers, ItaFearMe, Crystal Royale, sana-chan9, ZexionVI 008, LittleLoneLiar, Xanalia- The Shaded Stalker, axeleah, Onemoreparadise, youkai chick supreme.**


	12. Waking Up Together

Disclaimer: It hasn't changed, DAMMIT. This is kinda rubbing me wrong.

A/N: LOL, I'm being so weird, doing this now. Ah, well, so long as ya'll appreciate it.

Dedication: NaroRau, a great friend who also happened to be the 100th reviewer for How to Love a Somebody. She was the one to slip me into the triple digits. Love ya still, girly. Go read the story I wrote for her, called 'Triple Dog Dare You'. What? I'm allowed to advertise.

**Originally Published: 3/27/08**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

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* * *

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Chapter Twelve: Waking Up Together

He was warm, oh so warm. Myde smiled, wanting to feel that warmth just a little bit more and a little bit longer. He snuggled further beneath the covers, feeling as though he was wrapped in a cocoon.

Of course, it couldn't (and didn't) last for much longer. Myde could already feel the haziness that had accompanied his sleep dissipate, leaving him only slightly foggy.

He slowly awoke, not really knowing why he was waking up. He sighed, and burrowed deeper into his sheets. He heard a chuckle behind him but didn't think much of it. He was still asleep. He breathed in deeply, smelling a scent that he hadn't smelled in the last few days.

_Ienzo…._

His sheets smelled like… Ienzo. How was that possible? His sheets had been changed since the sick man had slept in them that one night.

How did they smell once more of ink and books, with a slight undertone of jasmine? Myde's mind was unable to truly wrap around these thoughts, and his mind flashed back to the soft chuckle that he had heard from behind him.

_There was someone else in the room…._

Myde slightly stiffened, wondering what to do. Who was this person? Was it… Ienzo? He shut his eyes tightly, not wanting to wake up if this was a dream.

Either the person behind him was Ienzo, or it was an intruder. Myde certainly wished for the former. He bit his lip, thinking of what to do.

'_Is it Ienzo? How do I find out without alerting the person that I'm awake? What if it isn't Ienzo? Could I surprise this person enough to get away? I don't… want this to be the end. Oh, Myde, you're getting paranoid. Just turn around and… look. It's not that hard. Just… do it.'_

Myde gulped, wanting to believe that the person was Ienzo, wanting to believe that he wasn't in danger.

Slowly, acting as though he was still asleep, Myde turned over in his bed, cushioning his hands beneath his pillow, eyes still closed.

He heard another chuckle and Myde slowly opened one eye, keeping it closed enough so that it looked like it wasn't open. Myde could see slightly through it, though- enough to catch flashes of color.

_Silver-blue, lavender… and periwinkle. _

It was Ienzo. Myde's eyes shot open, staring wide eyed into the amused face of the one person that Myde had wanted to see above all else. He gasped and could feel tears start to water his eyes. He cursed his girlishness. No ordinary guy would cry at seeing someone after only two or three days.

"I- Ienzo?"

Myde brought a hand up and laid it on Ienzo's cheek. He stared at him, at the small smile gracing his lips, the small sparkle in his eyes… he was beautiful.

So, so beautiful. Myde couldn't believe that this man wanted to be with him.

Ienzo brought his hand up and laid it over Myde's, not saying anything, still smiling softly, gazing directly into Myde's eyes. It was like he was trying to memorize everything about Myde.

"Hello, Myde. I'm sorry for not having been here earlier. I had… matters to deal with."

Myde just stared, not really listening to what Ienzo was saying. He was really there….

Myde had worried for nothing. Now he felt like slapping himself for getting so depressed for absolutely no true reason.

He was truly in deep with Ienzo.

The longer he stared at Ienzo, the more his smile grew, until it was practically overcoming his face with its brilliance. Then he felt like really slapping himself.

Why wasn't he kissing this heavenly creature that was in his bed and just waiting for him to make the first move?!

Myde lunged forward and connected their lips together. A small grunt escaped from Ienzo's throat and Myde groaned.

_Finally…._

Myde threw his arms around Ienzo's neck and pressed his lips even harder against Ienzo's. Ienzo lifted one of his hands and placed it under Myde's head, cradling it. The other he put on Myde's hip.

Myde moaned softly and tightened his grip further, so glad to finally be where he wanted to be. Right next to Ienzo, being kissed by him and just taking in his scent. His beauty… it was intoxicating.

Myde shivered as Ienzo's hand slowly crept inside his shirt. He kept kissing him, liking this new sensation.

Ienzo's fingers softly gliding along his skin was heady and Myde definitely thought that he could get used to this feeling.

Not like it would be hard or anything.

Ienzo's tongue slipped into his mouth and Myde slipped his hands out from around Ienzo's neck and sent them circling around his back, digging into the skin of Ienzo's back.

Ienzo hissed, back arching, sending his lower body slamming into Myde's. Myde grinned, disconnecting their lips and planting his lips on Ienzo's neck, suckling softly.

Ienzo's head fell back, neck arching, allowing Myde easier access to the soft and sensitive flesh. He groaned, curse words falling from his mouth.

What Myde was making him feel should be made _illegal _in all worlds.

Ienzo then grinned wickedly. Why not return the favor in kind?

He quickly flipped Myde onto his back and straddled him, knees on both sides of his hips. He stared down at Myde's flushed face, grinning at the feelings coursing hotly through his body. He liked this feeling. It did make him wonder, though.

How was he able to feel when, just earlier, he hadn't been able to feel anything?

Ienzo shelved these thoughts for later, when he wasn't doing such pleasurable activities to the boy beneath him. He leaned down and nuzzled his nose against Myde's before lightly pecking Myde on the lips.

He moved his head down slightly; placing his mouth on Myde's softly arched neck and sucked. He had this undeniable urge to mark Myde as his.

Apparently from the groans and sighs coming from Myde, Myde had absolutely no problem with this plan, either.

Ienzo slipped his hands beneath Myde's shirt, bunching the material in his clenched fists and slowly raising it, keeping his mouth on Myde's neck, only leaving it to slip his shirt over his head and throw it on the ground next to the bed. He returned to it quickly, happy to finally have his hands coasting freely over Myde's creamy skin.

Myde softly cursed, never having felt this before. He'd never gone this far before with someone before. Hell, Ienzo had been the first person he'd ever kissed in a non-platonic way.

He sent his hands into the back pockets of Ienzo's jeans and squeezed softly, enjoying the slightly garbled moan that came from Ienzo. Then he decided that Ienzo had too much clothing on and he swiftly pulled Ienzo's sweater off, throwing it away just as quickly as Ienzo had done with his.

Myde pulled away, wanting to see what Ienzo looked like, not wet or freezing cold. The only other time he had seen Ienzo naked was when he had pulled his sopping wet clothes off while Ienzo had been unconscious. This was slightly different.

Ienzo's skin was a pale white color, contrasting with his gorgeous hair. It was almost translucent and Myde could faintly see the blue blood vessels beneath the skin.

He was perfect. Myde felt like covering up his slightly tanned skin with a sheet or something. He didn't feel good enough to be around Ienzo.

Ienzo had drawn back slightly, sweeping his eyes over Myde, doing the same thing to Myde that Myde was doing to him. If only Myde knew exactly how much Ienzo was thanking the gods above for sending Myde to him; perhaps he wouldn't have wanted to cover up then.

Myde brought his hands up and placed them around Ienzo's neck, bringing the boy on top of him down for another kiss; tongues dueled, saliva swapped, hands swept over the other's bodies.

Myde drew his left leg up with his knee bent at a 90 degree angle, and then hooked it around Ienzo's waist, still kissing as though his very breath depended on him staying connected to Ienzo.

Of course, all things have to come to an end, fantastic as they are or not.

They slowly disconnected with each other and Ienzo slipped to lie on his side beside Myde on his huge and comfortable bed. He touched Myde's cheek softly, cupping the curved flesh and brought Myde in for a soft kiss; closed lips pressed together gently before drawing back.

They stared at each other, smiling.

Ienzo nuzzled his face into Myde's neck, breathing in deeply, going light headed at the scent Myde emitted.

"I missed you, so much. Don't leave again without giving me some kind of way to get in touch, please?" Myde's voice whispered above him.

It sent shivers through Ienzo…. The beauty of that voice… it did wonders to his system.

Ienzo brought his head back up and stared at Myde. He then smiled gently, brushing the back of his index finger across Myde's cheek.

"… Okay."

Myde smiled broadly, before he kissed Ienzo quickly.

Then he frowned.

Ienzo wasn't expecting the slap that was delivered to the back of his head.

"What the…?!"

"That's for scaring the shit out of me when I woke up."

* * *

Axel stared at the brunette mermaid, his mind swiftly coming up with and then rejecting idea after idea.

He needed to get this girl to trust him and then steal the Trident. Preferably quickly, for Axel wanted to get out of this hellhole as quickly as possible.

The girl was singing in a language that Axel didn't understand (probably the Mer language that Axel had never troubled himself to learn. He hadn't exactly thought that he would ever have to actually go to this troublesome world) but Axel wasn't going to let that worry him. She was, after all, King Triton's eldest daughter; she would know how to speak other languages.

Diplomacy and all that.

Axel shifted slightly, a scale on his fin itching. Unfortunately, his skin scraped against the rock he was leaning against and the sound it made was like a gunshot. Sound traveled fairly well through water and it wasn't long before Aquata was wildly looking around, wanting to know who was there.

Axel cursed. _'Damn you, Zexion, this is all your fucking fault. If it wasn't for you and your inability to complete a mission, I wouldn't have had to get punished and get sent to probably the worst place for a pyrotechnic to be. Thank you, Zexion.'_

Axel continued to curse Zexion in his mind, not really noticing that his cover had been blown and that Aquata was slowly swimming nearer to him, gazing over the top of the boulder that Axel hid behind to find a boy talking to himself.

The brunette arched an eyebrow and rested her upper body on the boulder, folding her arms, deciding that watching this boy with the wild red hair (why was it held back with kelp?) and red fin have an argument with himself was just too entertaining to pass up.

She decided to stay silent, watching the boy struggle, not even noticing that he was being watched.

Of course, this soon grew boring.

"You know, you're bleeding. It's not a very smart idea to bleed too much in the water. It draws the sharks here. We don't exactly like them. Then again, I don't suppose a land dweller would know this."

Axel's head whipped around and up to stare in shock at the girl above him. He nearly got whiplash from the forceful thrust his neck made. He winced at the audible crack it made, muttering a 'Why me?' under his breath.

The girl snickered, glad that she'd been able to get a reaction from the boy.

"How… how'd you know that I'm not from around here?" Axel spoke up, not wanting to scare her or do anything that could jeopardize his mission.

The girl smirked and, snickering all the while, swam to sit beside him, back to the boulder. She looked to the side at Axel.

"I'm not the eldest daughter of King Triton for nothing. If you were a sea dweller, you would have recognized who I was and bowed. Besides, I know all the subjects that reside within Atlantica. You do not live here."

Axel cursed silently. He hadn't thought of that. Why was he choosing now of all times to act like he had never done reconnaissance missions before?

The good thing about this slip up was that Axel now knew not to underestimate his victim and future partner in crime.

"So… I'm Princess Aquata, eldest daughter of King Triton and future ruler of Atlantica. And you… are?"

"The name's Axel… got it memorized?" Axel tapped the side of his head near his temple with his index finger, smirking as though his catch phrase was actually going to help his quest.

The girl snickered again and held her hand out to Axel.

"It's nice to meet you, Axel. Now, would you like to tell me what you're doing here? Do you have some sort of issue that you need to bring up with my father?"

Axel smiled and shook his head.

"No… nothing of the sort. I've always liked the sea and wanted to go down here, experience it for real. It's not working out so well." Axel grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck with his hand.

It drew the attention of Aquata and she noticed that the cut on his arm was still sluggishly bleeding.

"Here, how about you let me heal that?" Axel stared as the small and younger girl put her hand on his cut and muttered a few foreign words. A glow emitted from beneath her fingers and when she lifted her hand away, all that was left was a small scar that was nearly invisible.

"There, that scar should go away soon enough. I'm not far enough along in my magic learning's to be able to heal you completely. I'm sorry."

"No, that's fine. Thank you for helping at all." Axel grinned, trying to lay on the charm, hoping that she would fall for it.

It seemed to be working for the girl covered her mouth with her hand and giggled, eyes flashing with amusement.

"You know, you're fun. I hardly ever get out of the palace nowadays and all everyone wants to do is treat me like the princess I am. It's really starting to get to me. That's why I'm out now. I just… needed to get away for a little while. With Daddy always berating me about being responsible and being the oldest of us and how I'm going to become the ruler of Atlantica one day, it can get kind of taxing. Daddy doesn't really understand that all I want to do is dance in the water, free…. I'm sorry; you probably didn't come here to have me babble at you about my problems." Aquata felt her cheeks blushing as she chattered on to Axel. She didn't understand why, but she felt as though she could tell Axel anything and that he wouldn't judge her or think of her any differently.

She didn't understand it, though. It was as though she couldn't tell him a lie. As though she couldn't say that her life wasn't the peachy illusion that everyone made it out to be.

She didn't want to do that to this foreigner, this man from above. It didn't seem right. She scoffed; he probably didn't care if she lied to him or not.

Axel smiled; she was already falling in his trap and he hadn't had to do anything. This girl must have really been yearning for companionship and someone to talk to if she was willing to spill her every thought to a perfect stranger who had hardly said anything to her.

"That must be hard on you. Not being able to do what you want to do just because of your birth… it must be hard. I wouldn't want to do that, either."

She smiled softly, nodding her head gently to his words.

"Yeah… but it's not exactly like I can do anything about it. I know and I accept that I will be the ruler of Atlantica one day. That I will have an arranged marriage and that I will be stuck at home, watching my sisters living the life that I wanted. That's not to say that they have it so easy, though. I don't mean that. It's just…." Aquata ended her sentence on a whisper, dropping her chin onto her chest.

She felt so defeated. She wasn't selfish and she was glad that her sisters had a better chance of living the life they wanted than she did but none of that meant that she didn't want to be in their fins sometimes.

It was a burden; one that no teenager should really have to carry.

Axel noticed the emotions sweep across her face and knew that what he was doing was wrong. Leading her into stealing the Trident just because he needed to complete a stupid mission that Xemnas didn't even care about was wrong. But he couldn't do anything about it.

It didn't matter that she didn't deserve this; that she shouldn't be his victim. Axel had to do what he had to do. And if crushing this girl's feelings was an unfortunate side effect then so be it.

He supposed it was a good thing that he couldn't technically feel.

Otherwise, he would be as guilty as all hell.

"Why don't you try to do what you want to do? Talk to your father or something? Surely he would understand if you told him of your wishes."

Aquata shook her head. "I've already tried. Daddy says that he has enough trouble with the other girls, especially Ariel, the youngest, and that he doesn't need it from me. I can't blame him for the way he thinks. He had to accept his responsibilities when he became King. I shall have to do the same."

"Hmm… well… what if you… I don't know… rebelled against him? Maybe… do something a little naughty, something that he won't find out about, but will let you express your freedom; if only to yourself."

Axel could feel everything just clicking into place with a little _snick_. It was almost heaven, how easy this was going.

Aquata looked at Axel, at the innocently raised eyebrows, the questioning eyes, the slight smile lifting up one corner of his mouth. He was… cute.

'_No… not cute: hot. He's hot, Aquata; a lot better looking than the other boys around here. Too bad he's a land dweller; it'd be great to get to know him better.'_

"Umm… I've never thought of doing anything like that. What in the name of Atlantica could I do that he wouldn't find out about?"

Axel pretended to be in great thought.

"Well… you could always steal something of his… something that you could give right back; something really precious of his."

"That would be a good idea but… the only thing really precious to him is the Trident and I could never steal that. He would notice its absence."

"You can't or you won't? Would you actually be able to steal it if you decided to do so? Or is it more that it's so wrong that you just wouldn't be able to do it?"

"No! I could steal it if I wanted to. I know where he keeps it and everything…. it's just that it's a powerful weapon; one that should only be used by the ruler of Atlantica."

"You're not going to use it. Whoever said that you would use it? Stealing it would probably show to yourself that you can do what you want, when you want… no matter if it is a completely stupid and irrational move."

Aquata giggled again. "You're right, it's not like I would be using it. I wouldn't know how to use it: I don't have enough magic ability yet to use it. It wouldn't be too hard to steal it," _'that shows what you know, princess,' _Axel thought, "and I would give it right back.

"So, what's holding you back?"

"It's just that… it's a big thing to do and if I did get caught, I would be in serious trouble."

"That is a worrisome problem, isn't it? Well, you could just say that you were looking over it and thinking of maybe practicing; in preparation of your eventual reign."

"That could work, I suppose. Why do you care so much? I'm nothing to you; none of us are. Why would you want to help me be a little bad?"

'_I highly doubt you want to know the real reason for why I'm doing this. There's a big likelihood that you wouldn't like it.'_

He smiled. "I don't know; I feel as though I should help you in some way. You're a nice girl and the fact that you can't do what you want is a little sad. You shouldn't have to rule just because you're the oldest."

She smiled. He was really nice.

"Okay… I'm going to do it! Why don't you wait here while I go and get it! It shouldn't take me too long. An hour or two tops!" She giggled and swam away, leaving Axel behind with just his thoughts.

Axel frowned, feeling as though he had just done something very bad. Something very cruel… what if she was caught?

He would have to steal it from her and he didn't want to have to do that. Could he coerce her into giving it to him? And when he did, and he left, how much trouble would she get in? What repercussions would this have on her?

Axel wished that he didn't have to do this. That he could just walk, or swim, away from this mission and leave everything behind. That he didn't have to break this girl's heart and spirit.

She would never recover. Axel knew very well how fragile a heart was. Would hers be able to take the injury that this would cause? Or would she give up and become a Nobody… like him?

He sincerely hoped that this didn't happen.

He stayed behind the boulder, wishing that she wouldn't be able to do it; that he wouldn't have to go through with this mission: that he could go to Xemnas and say that he failed and it wasn't his fault.

A portal appeared in front of him and out swam Xigbar, already transformed into a steely black shark.

"Xigbar… what are you doing here? I'm on a mission and if you jeopardize it, I swear I will tell the Superior."

Axel was furious. What was Xigbar doing here?

Xigbar snickered, feeling a certain perverse pleasure in telling Axel this.

"Ah… your mission on this world has been canceled."

"What?! After all the work I went to and all the pain I've had to endure, he decides to pull me off the mission?! Who does that?!" Axel was absolutely livid. After everything he had done, Xemnas does this.

"Apparently the Superior; he wants you to go on another mission. He was originally going to give it to Number V but Number V decided to tear a few ligaments in his knee weight lifting. He can't walk for now. So… you're going to do it."

"Ugh… and this mission would be what?" Axel felt like rolling his eyes. Of course Lexaeus would be able to get out of doing the mission in some way. The saddest part was that he'd probably gotten the tears before he found out he had the mission.

"Saïx has received word of a new Nobody to be created. Number X; you are to go and watch over him."

"Why don't you do it?"

"Because I wasn't ordered to, that's why."

"Fine… where is he?"

"He lives in Port Royale. You are to go back to The Castle That Never Was first and receive a formal debriefing in tomorrow's meeting. So let's get out of this pit of rotten hell. I hate the water."

"You aren't a pyrotechnic who's been living in it for over a day. Get over it."

Axel couldn't help but feel pleased as he left with Xigbar. He just hoped that she decided to not steal the Trident or get caught if she decided to go through with it.

* * *

Myde sat on a stool at his kitchen counter, watching Ienzo putter around the kitchen.

Ienzo had decided that he wanted to make something for Myde and had put his plan into action.

Myde could only stare in amusement.

Ienzo was in a frilly blue apron, making waffles, moving to the fridge and then back to the stove, all the while humming something under his breath. It was a very domestic scene.

Myde had never thought that Ienzo would be the type to hum something. Myde had a feeling that Ienzo wasn't the most talkative person out there.

Myde didn't mind, though. He could do more than enough talking for the both of them.

"Ienzo, you do know that I don't really need waffles with chocolate chips in them right?"

Ienzo hummed in response. "I don't care. I feel like making my specialty for you. Everyone I know goes nuts for these things. I, personally, don't know what they find so yummy about them. They're just waffles with chocolate in them. But, seeing as how everyone goes gaga over them, I wanted to make them for you."

Myde grinned. It was like Ienzo was trying to spoil him.

"Hmmm… the chocolate part sounds good. But I'd rather have it on," Myde got up and went over to Ienzo, hugging him from the back, "a small, blue haired, gorgeous man so that I can lick it off."

Ienzo choked, dropping the spatula onto the stove top and moving his hands to grip at Myde's. His eyes bugged out and he could feel the amount of air in his lungs dwindling.

Then, Myde snickered and moved away.

"Got you that time, didn't I?"

Ienzo drew in a big breath, quivering with surprise, eyes still wide open. He whirled around and faced Myde.

"Don't… don't do that!"

Myde snickered. "And why not? You… are my boyfriend, aren't you?"

Ienzo gave pause, and Myde felt his heart constrict in fear. Was Ienzo going to… reject him?

Ienzo's mouth opened then closed several times, as though he were a fish.

"I… I never really thought about it that way. I guess… we are boyfriends, aren't we?"

Myde smiled, feeling his heart release its painful grip. "That's what I was thinking; unless, of course, you don't want to be my boyfriend."

"Oh, no, I think I'm perfectly fine with being your boyfriend. Just… um… I don't think either of us are… _ready_. You know, to take that… step."

Myde's grin broke out completely and seemed to fill his entire face.

"Are you… nervous, Ienzo? Afraid that I'm going to, uh, do something?" Myde lifted an eyebrow, wickedly grinning at Ienzo.

Ienzo blushed. "O-oh- of course not! Why would you think that?"

"I'm making you nervous, aren't I?" Myde snickered once more, feeling as though he could willingly make Ienzo blush every day of the week and enjoy it. But he was going to stop teasing him for now. "Don't worry, Ienzo. I'm not ready for that. I just like teasing you. And, of course, just because we don't have sex doesn't mean that we can't do… other things."

Ienzo laughed nervously, the only thought running through his mind being:

'_Shit, I need to research this.'_

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Eleven: Moogles With Flamethrowers, 13loves8loves9loves6, Onemoreparadise, ZexionVI 008, Angelus98, DearJamie, Blaze Moonlight, Serexion, sana-chan9, Riku-stalker, Shadoom, axeleah, Roxen - chan, Crystal Royale, Sora17, Mizu Hoseki, ItaFearMe, NaroRau, youkai chick supreme.**


	13. Back to the Castle for All

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its affiliates.

A/N: Last one, for now. Chapter 14 coming soon.

Dedication: To youkai chick supreme, who reviewed practically of the chapters, even when most of them had been posted a long time ago.

**Originally Published: 4/13/08**

**Edited Chapter Published: 08/08/08**

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* * *

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Chapter Thirteen: Back to the Castle for All

Usually, when a woman walked in to find her son making out with another man, she would either scream or sigh and tell them to go elsewhere.

Mrs. Mizu was not a normal mother. The moment she walked into the house she and her family lived in and saw her son, Myde, sitting on their couch, making out with another man, she smiled and knew that things were getting better.

After all, the man Myde was making out with was Ienzo. Mrs. Mizu liked Ienzo and whole heartedly approved of their relationship. It was just a damn shame that she wasn't going to have grandchildren. Then Mrs. Mizu thought of something and she grinned. Oh, this was just too good a chance to pass up.

"Hello, Myde and Ienzo. May I say how happy I am to see the two of you together and sucking face on my couch?" When the two young men broke apart, Mrs. Mizu allowed a grin to grace her face, very happy at her son not bingeing.

"Mrs. Mizu, it's wonderful to see you again. How are you doing?" Ienzo was certainly trying hard; he probably wanted to stay on her good side. That was a good thing. Mrs. Mizu could be scary when the situation called for it.

"Why, I'm doing perfectly fine, Ienzo. I've had a good day and then I come home and find that my son's happy again. I'm in a good mood. However, I need to speak with you. Why don't you follow me into the kitchen? Myde, why don't you go talk to your father? He could probably use some company right now." With a deceptively innocent smile, Mrs. Mizu beckoned Ienzo to the kitchen.

Ienzo sent a look of sheer panic to Myde but Myde could only shrug his shoulders and give him a comforting pat on the back.

"It had to happen eventually," Myde whispered as he passed Ienzo back, looking for his father.

"What had to happen eventually?"

"The 'if-you-ever-hurt-my-son-I-will-force-you-to-drink-bleach-and-enjoy-it' talk; my mother has never had practice with them but I'm sure that she will find some way to scare you into doing whatever she wanted."

"This doesn't sound too good."

"It'll be okay, Ienzo. Just remember; my mother isn't going to hurt you right now. She likes you and likes that I finally have someone. She's only going to mentally scar you. I think you can handle it." Myde reassured Ienzo, feeling anything but conviction in his own words.

"That makes me feel better, Myde; it truly does."

"Sorry I couldn't help you further." Myde smiled then gently kissed Ienzo on the cheek and left.

* * *

Zexion did not like where this was going. He watched Myde slip around the corner, towards the back of the house, and then looked towards the kitchen, warm light spilling out from the doorway. He squared his shoulders and walked into the kitchen, recently cleaned after he and Myde had finished their waffles.

"Thanks for joining me, Ienzo. Are either you or Myde hungry?"

Zexion hated answering to the name of Ienzo. It bespoke of a time long since past.

"Umm… no, we are not: I made Myde some waffles earlier and we both ate them."

"Oh, so you can cook?"

"A little… my mother taught me, a long time ago."

"Really? Does she still teach you how to cook?"

Zexion froze. Even though he had no heart, this was still painful. It shouldn't have been, though. He had no heart, no emotions; this shouldn't have been painful. It shouldn't feel as though his insides were twisting.

"My… mother died… when I was sixteen."

Mrs. Mizu stopped stirring her pot of noodles and glanced over at him. Zexion fidgeted under her unblinking gaze, feeling as though he was going to melt under the intensity.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like you and she were close."

Zexion felt himself nodding. "Yes, we had been very close. Then again, who isn't close to their parents?"

Mrs. Mizu hummed in agreement. After all, look at her and Myde. "If you don't mind telling me, how did she die?"

_Two of the Heartless that I made set their sights on her and ripped her insides out. _"It was… an accident. Machinery… ripped her apart."

Mrs. Mizu winced, feeling for him. He was still a child in so many ways. Just barely into adulthood and already having to deal with the death of a parent.

"I'm so very sorry, Ienzo. No one should ever have to lose their mother at such a time."

"Yes, well… I don't think of it often: bad memories and all that." He almost felt the urge to wave his hand, like that would sweep away the memories of his mother. Sweep away the thoughts of her smile, her blue hair, so long and shiny; sweep away the thoughts of how he used to giggle with her while baking. Zexion hadn't told Myde how he knew to make those waffles and he wasn't planning on it. This was bad enough; he didn't want to go through this again with Myde.

"I can understand that. My own parents died in a fire when I was a teenager. That's why Myde doesn't have any grandparents. Tom never even knew his; he was orphaned when he was a little child."

"I'm supposing that Tom is Mr. Mizu," Zexion said. Mrs. Mizu smiled and nodded, before laughing.

"I got completely sidetracked from what I had you come in here to do. I'm sorry."

Zexion didn't feel as though her being sidetracked was a bad thing. He'd rather that she hadn't remembered.

"Ienzo, would you come here and peel these potatoes for me, please?"

Zexion looked up and nodded, quietly coming to her side and taking the potatoes from her. The two worked side by side in silence for a few minutes.

Mrs. Mizu sighed after a little while, still looking down at her carrots. Zexion looked at her from the side, wondering what she was thinking and if this 'talk' would ever be started.

"Has Myde ever told you that I nearly died giving birth to him?"

Zexion froze. No, Myde hadn't, but Zexion knew of it from the file of collected facts on Myde. What he didn't know was how this pertained to her discussion with him.

"No, Mrs. Mizu. We haven't had much time to talk about each other and our pasts."

"Well, I did. He was a difficult baby to birth and it nearly killed me. I wasn't allowed to have any children after him. I'm too weak. I always wanted a lot of kids and, between being unable to afford them and being unable to have them, I never got them. Because of this, I've tried to give Myde as much attention and love as I could. I know that he's lonely, that's he's been," Mrs. Mizu paused here, as though she was trying to gather her courage to say this next, "been… depressed. I always encouraged him in his music because I know that it's an expression of everything that he feels."

"I… never knew that. I knew that he wasn't always as happy as he tries to show in front of others but… I didn't think about his music like that." Zexion kept his head down, training his eyes on the potatoes, embarrassed about having this conversation with Myde's mother.

"Look, I was so happy when you came along and Myde told me that he liked you. Do you know, he still thought that I wasn't okay with his sexuality until Saturday night?"

Zexion merely shook his head. Of course, he couldn't say that he'd been privy to their conversation; that would be admitting to eavesdropping.

"Well, Myde means the world to me and if he likes you and you make him happy than I have nothing against you and him being in a relationship. However, if you ever hurt him, I swear to God, I will string you up by your family jewels, give you paper cuts all over your body, and then dump you into a big vat of sea water." Mrs. Mizu was now staring at him, a threatening look in her eyes that said she would do exactly what she threatened if he ever did hurt Myde.

Zexion winced. He believed her completely. Of course, he didn't exactly want to hurt Myde, ever. He really would need to find some way for Myde to keep his heart; if only to keep Mrs. Mizu away from him.

"I don't plan on hurting him. He's… very special to me. He's practically all I have left now."

* * *

Myde was snickering, trying to keep quiet as he listened to his mother and her 'talk' with Ienzo. So, he was enjoying the mental torture Ienzo was going through right now. That wasn't a crime, right? Okay, maybe it wasn't very nice of him to be eavesdropping on their conversation, but, Myde couldn't help it.

His mother had never had to give this talk before. So, could Myde not be happy that she was finally able to give this talk to someone? After all, he and she had come up with the various torture descriptions together. He hadn't exactly been expecting the rather serious beginning to the conversation, although: that was an unexpected happenstance.

Had he really been that transparent? Had he really not been able to hide how he was feeling? And God- Ienzo's mother…. Myde hadn't lost his parents but he was sure that he would be devastated if he ever did. He knew he was lucky for the parents he had. Ienzo didn't even have that anymore. Did he even have his father?

Myde knew that there was so much to Ienzo that he didn't know. It was actually frightening about how little he did know about the man, considering that he was in love with him. Myde decided then and there that he would rectify that problem. All he had to do, after all, was ask him. Ienzo would gladly tell him everything he wished to know.

Myde quickly stepped into the kitchen and snuck up behind Ienzo, wrapping his arms around him and hugging him roughly.

Ienzo jumped slightly before squeezing the arms around his middle. Myde smiled happily, burrowing his face into Ienzo's hair, inhaling Ienzo's particular scent. He then looked over to his mother.

"Mind if I take Ienzo here?" He asked her. "I've got something to show him."

Myde's mother shook her head softly. "Oh, so I guess I'll lose my potato peeler just so you can show him something. I see; I feel the love."

Myde smiled. "Yep."

She laughed before swatting her hand towel at them, shooing them to go. "I'll just get your father in here to do it." She smiled as she watched them leave, Ienzo taking his apron off, before sucking in a big breath and yelling out, "TOM! COME HERE AND PEEL MY POTATOES!"

Then she snickered as she thought of the way that statement could be taken.

* * *

Myde led Zexion up the stairs and back to his room before shoving him back on to the bed.

Zexion raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so that's what you're going to show me?"

Myde frowned in puzzlement before laughing as he got the joke. "Actually, even though that's a great idea, I'll have to get back to you on that. I came up here to show you something."

Zexion then found himself alone as Myde left his side and went over to his closet. He hunkered down on his knees and burrowed into the depths of his closet, occasionally muttering 'No, that's not it' or 'Ew, I don't even _want_ to know when that was supposed to be thrown out'. Zexion felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he watched Myde wiggle his butt in the air, head stuck below his hanging clothes. He couldn't help but feel amused at the sight and, okay, a little bit aroused. Then he jumped when Myde shouted.

"Aha! Found ya!" Myde suddenly popped back out from the closet and made his way back over to Zexion, thrusting a paper in front of Zexion's nose.

Zexion could feel his eyes crossing as he attempted to look at the up close and personal paper shoved right into his face. It hurt, though, so he took the piece of parchment and moved it away from his face, allowing his eyes to revert to normal.

"What is this, Myde?"

Myde grinned happily before bouncing onto his bed, coming to rest by Zexion. "It's the beach. I've always had this… love of water," Zexion almost snorted. _Wonder what Myde's element is going to be?_ "And since I was a little kid, I've always wanted to go to the beach. But, the only beach anywhere near us is halfway across the country. So, because of my parent's jobs and money constraints, I've never been. So… I decided to look through all the books in the library to find pictures of the beach. I eventually drew this."

Myde took the paper from Zexion and stared at it; almost wistfully, Zexion imagined.

"So, you've always wanted to go to the beach?"

"Well, yeah, but I've never gotten the chance so I made myself a picture. This way, I can always look at it if I want. I… haven't thought of it in a long time. That's why it was all the way in the back of my closet. So... I told you something… how about you tell me something?"

Zexion looked at Myde, somewhat confused.

"Huh?"

Myde rolled his eyes. "You don't get it, do you?"

"No."

"I want you to tell me something about yourself. You know, I love you and all, but… I have absolutely no clue about who you are as a person. I don't know your favorite color or… your last name or what your favorite thing is…. I've come to realize that I have no idea who you are exactly. So… I figured, I'd tell you something about me and then you could tell me something about you."

Zexion nodded, suddenly understanding. He'd been wondering why Myde was suddenly showing him a badly drawn picture of an ocean and three stick figures hovering above yellow waves of what was meant to be sand (Apparently, Myde was not much of a drawer). Then, he thought of a decidedly _wicked_ idea and he almost felt a smirk coming on.

"Why not, instead of exchanging information, we exchange… kisses?"

Myde looked at him, now the confused party.

"Umm…. I don't quite understand."

"For every piece of information I give you, you give me a kiss. Then, for every piece of information you give me, I give you a kiss."

Myde smiled. This was going to be fun.

"That sounds good to me."

* * *

It was with some sadness that Zexion left Myde the next morning. He'd worked well into the night in hopes of finishing his report after Myde had gone to bed. Myde was still asleep and Zexion, regretting the need to leave, slipped into the bed and cuddled with him for a while.

Zexion shook Myde awake.

"Wha…? Ienzo… what are you doing?"

"Myde, I have to go, again. I have some duties that I have to attend to, once more, and then I'll be back."

Myde blinked at him sleepily, craning his neck to look at Zexion over his shoulder.

"Okay, how long will you be gone?"

"I should only be a few days; a week, at most. Don't worry; I'll be back before you know it."

"All right- I love you."

Zexion closed his eyes, knowing that Myde was already falling asleep. He then whispered, too softly for the already mostly asleep male to hear:

"I know that, if I was capable, I would love you, too. And, I have no idea why. But… I will keep you safe, Myde. I won't… let you go through this. I can't take the risk that you won't survive."

Zexion kissed Myde's cheek, brushing back the loose curls of Myde's hair. Then, he opened a portal, looking back to make sure that Myde wasn't looking and was most definitely asleep, and stepped through, following the corridor of darkness back to The Castle That Never Was.

When he once more entered the white corridors of his 'home', Zexion looked around, noticed that no one was around and made to go to his room. He hated this place with its white walls, grey overtones, and all the marble. It was cold, calculating, and somewhat headache inducing. He walked down the hall, meeting none of the other members along the way. Zexion shuddered, remembering a scene that he wished he could forget and never think about again. Xemnas and Saïx were probably doing… _things_ that Zexion would rather not know about. It was highly probable that the other members were either relaxing in their rooms or scrambling to finish their missions before the meeting this afternoon.

Zexion, luckily, had already finished this section of his assignment and had nothing to do until the meeting. He would rather have had spent this time with Myde but… it would look better if he was actually in the castle before the meeting; to show where his loyalties lied. Zexion knew that Xemnas suspected something. Zexion was very good at reporting in his missions and actually doing them on time. For this mishap to have happened, something unplanned had to have happened. Xemnas knew this and knew that Zexion was hiding something. Xemnas just didn't care.

Zexion supposed that that was the good part of being a Nobody and having a Nobody as one's boss. They didn't really care if you screwed up. Just wondered about why you had screwed up.

Of course, Zexion was beginning to doubt all of that 'we have no hearts and therefore we have no emotions' crap that Xemnas continuously spewed to the other members, both the originals and the two Neophytes.

If he had no emotions, than why did he feel as though Myde was everything he had ever needed and had never had until now?

Zexion walked along the long and twisting corridors, finally coming to the sleeping quarters of the castle. He walked half way down the hall before coming to a stop beside a door that held a quite elaborate VI in Roman Numerals. All the doors held a number, the number of the occupant within, in curly numerals. Zexion figured that Xemnas had been on something when he chose the style of the doors. After all, Xemnas didn't really care for anything too elaborate or feminine. Then again, there probably hadn't been much selection when he'd had this part done. In the end, Zexion didn't really care. He was somewhat partial to the Roman Numerals.

Zexion looked to the left and right, checking to see if anybody was around. Not that he had much to worry about. Xemnas had assigned the rooms in such a way that all of the even numbered Nobodies were on one side of the hall and the odd numbered Nobodies were on the other side. Zexion was not exactly partial to his rooming assignment. To his left, Vexen resided, with his ice particles and odd smells, and to his right, Axel lived, with his fire element and weird tendency of cooking things that weren't exactly meant to be cooked.

It was, quite literally, hell. The left side of his room was always frigidly cold and the right side was always burning hot. It was only comfortable near the middle of his room, where his bed rested. But, the good thing about the two was that Vexen was always experimenting in his laboratories and Axel was always off on missions. Zexion opened his door and looked towards his comfortable bed. It was there that Zexion immediately went, stopping to pull a book off his shelf and then he curled up within the confines of his comforter.

It was there that Zexion stayed for the rest of the morning, lost within the pages of his book (_A Dissertation on the Emotions of the Average Human_). He only raised his head from his book when he heard a muffle of cursing coming from the room to his right some hours later. He checked his clock and ascertained that it was only an hour or so until the meeting.

'_Axel must have finished his mission. I wonder how it went. After all, stealing the Trident was probably no easy feat, especially for him. Of course, I do believe that his mission was harder than mine.'_

Zexion knew why he hadn't been given a mission similar to Axel's. He was one of the Original Six: he wasn't meant to do work like that. Xemnas held a partial 'affection' for the Original Six. He'd known them before this entire fiasco had begun, when he'd still been 'Xehanort' and still had a heart; when he hadn't been consumed with jealousy for their teacher, the king of Radiant Garden. When… he'd just been another apprentice, trying to do his work and please Ansem.

Zexion shook his head. Ever since his talk with Mrs. Mizu, he'd been dredging up long forgotten memories. Memories of his time before he'd been a Nobody, even before he'd become the youngest apprentice of Ansem the Wise. He remembered his mother, even his father. He'd lost them both after the Heartless came; after he'd become an apprentice and had succeeded in convincing Ansem to continue their research on the heart, even after Ansem had wanted to stop. He hadn't really been lying when he'd told Mrs. Mizu that his mother had been ripped apart by machinery. He considered the 'fake' Heartless to be machinery. Man-made they were, and Zexion was responsible.

Before Myde had come, he hadn't really cared about what had happened. He was a Nobody, after all, and, until Myde, he hadn't really felt his old emotions. He hadn't really remembered them. Myde… had brought them back. Myde had brought back all of the old memories of his feelings.

Was that why he was able to feel around Myde? Or… was it something more? If Myde was able to bring back the memories of his feelings from when he'd been a Somebody, then shouldn't he be able to remember them when he wasn't around Myde? It made no true sense to Zexion.

He supposed this was something else he needed to research.

Louder cursing could be heard from the room beside him and Zexion was wrenched out of his musings. He turned his head to look to the side, smirking slightly when a loud thump was heard, along with even more curses. Axel certainly didn't try to tame his language. Not that Zexion cared. Zexion was prone to a few slips of the tongue from time to time as well.

Zexion looked at the clock once more before slipping from his bed, leaving his room and going to the door to the right of his. He knocked upon the door, heard a 'If you want in then get the fuck in!' and opened the door. He truly wished he hadn't.

Axel was hopping around on one leg, trying to pull a pair of boxers up his long, thin, and gangly legs. Zexion immediately closed his eyes and sighed.

"Why is it that I have a tendency of walking in on naked men lately? There is only one man I want to see naked and, Axel, I have to admit that this man is most definitely not you."

Axel snorted. "You sure? After all, who could resist this hot body?" He rolled his eyes. "Look, it's nothing you haven't seen before, so get over it. Now, what the fuck do you want?"

Zexion sighed, tilting his head to the side. "I heard cursing. Just wondering what the need for it was. You're not usually one to curse without any real cause."

"Oh, yes, Zexion, you know me so well. Of course, I'm not the type to curse without a real reason."

Zexion decided to stay silent.

"Okay, if you want to know why, I'm cursing because I have a new mission. It's quite similar to yours, actually. Let's just hope that I don't get involved with the subject like you did. I don't need that sort of headache. But, anyway, I have to go to Port Royale and watch over this 'Ludor' character. He's, apparently, purported to be Number X. I'm not exactly looking forward to this mission. And, oh gods, I just got off the last one- no, more like, I was pulled off the last one. I fucking hate Atlantica."

Zexion listened, not uttering a word, or showing any real proof that he had even been listening. That was the good thing, though. He was the one that everyone in the Organization went to when they needed to have someone who would listen. It didn't happen often, though, for the Nobodies were, for the most part, self-reliant. Some refused to even interact with the others unless under extreme circumstances.

"Hmm… that's certainly not the greatest thing. Oh, well. I'm sure that you'll enjoy this new assignment. After all, I so enjoyed mine."

Axel glared at Zexion, knowing that he didn't really care about Zexion's off hand remarks. He'd listened; that was enough.

"Shut up," Axel smirked then looked over to his own clock. "Shit! It's almost time for the meeting. I fucking hate these meetings. Have you ever gotten the idea that they weren't ever really needed?"

Zexion smirked himself before nodding. "Let's go. Must not be late and give Xemnas any more reason to punish us. The last ones were brutal enough as it was. I so hate getting my hands dirty."

* * *

The eight members of the Organization sat in a circle, their throne like chairs impossibly high off the ground. The only way to reach them was through teleporting onto them. This was slightly difficult to do when new arrivals first appear, for the new members invariably shot off the mark and fell to the ground instead of actually making it onto their seats.

Ever since then, Axel had been somewhat weary of the chairs, though he hardly showed it to the other members. Zexion could understand. The only reason he had not done so himself was because he had helped build them when they had first moved into the castle. He had always thought that Xemnas was slightly off in the head. Again, Zexion could not truly blame him. He supposed that being so high off the ground was a heady experience for some.

It was not truly so for him. He didn't see any true reason for the tall chairs. They were illogical and irrelevant to the point of the Organization.

He sat on the end of his chair, feet dangling off into the white abyss before him, waiting for the meeting to begin. The entire hall was silent, none of the members offering to talk to each other. None of them were entirely close. It was as though they were only here for their own purposes. Zexion couldn't help but think the same way. He didn't really like any of the Nobodies, especially the Neophytes. Well… Axel was perhaps not as airheaded and as much of a dunce as Zexion had first thought him to be, but still… they were not close.

But Saïx… he was a different matter, especially after what Zexion had walked in on the other day.

Zexion sighed, truly wishing that he was somewhere else… like with Myde.

'_Alright… I suppose we can play the game that way,' Myde said, slyly grinning at Zexion. 'Because I already told you something, I suppose I earn a kiss then. Then, it's your turn.'_

_Zexion smirked before leaning over to nip Myde on the chin before lightly ghosting his lips over Myde's. He made no more contact before leaning back and smiling softly._

"Are we going to get this meeting started? I may have other places that I need to be, you know," Axel remarked snidely.

"Oh, don't act as though you have no patience or even care when this meeting starts." Came the calm and low voice of a man in one of the higher chairs; Xaldin, Number III.

Axel sighed before raising a hand and rubbing at the apex of his nose.

"Very well, then. We shall start," Xemnas stated, beginning the meeting.

'_So… you want to know more about me, Myde? What would you like me to start with?'_

'_Oh… how about you tell me something simple. Like… your last name?'_

_Zexion smiled, acting as though the question was not at all something he couldn't answer. He then really smiled. He could tell Myde his name from when he was still Ienzo and still a Somebody._

'_It's Zalman.'_

_Myde grinned before jumping and biting on Zexion's neck, right in the junction between the neck and collarbone. _

_Zexion shivered._

"Well, Number VIII… how'd the mission in Atlantica go? Obviously, you were not able to finish it before the mission was terminated but how close were you to obtaining the Trident?"

"I was very close, Superior. I had been successful in convincing one of the King's daughters to go and steal the Trident. She was on her way to do so when the mission was aborted."

"How did you manage to convince one of the King's daughters to steal from her father and, thereby, betray him?" Vexen, Number IV of the Organization, spoke up.

"I didn't have to do much, in all reality. She wanted to rebel. I offered a solution. She was quite gullible, in all actuality. I'm a bit stumped by how easy it actually was. It could mean that there is possible dissention within the King's own family…."

'_Okay… what is your favorite color?" Zexion asked Myde, truly curious about the man in front of him._

'_Well…' Myde snuck his head in close to Zexion's ear. Zexion could feel Myde's breathe gust over his sensitive ear and he barely contained a shudder. 'I used to like yellow but… I'm finding myself becoming partial to the color blue.' He ended his statement with a small lick to the shell of Zexion's ear before leaning back._

_Zexion gazed at Myde with barely disguised lust in the depths of his eyes. He let his gaze roam over Myde's body, wishing only to attack Myde. At this moment, he wasn't exactly thinking about his earlier declaration of wanting to wait for a while. All he knew was that he wanted Myde._

_He voraciously attacked Myde's lips, slipping his tongue into Myde's wet cavern, hands slipping over Myde's hips. Myde enthusiastically reciprocated before breaking the kiss. Zexion made a motion to continue the kissing but Myde lifted a hand, shaking it softly, moving his head along with the movement._

'_Ah, ah… just one kiss per piece of information.'_

"Vexen, how are your experiments coming?"

"I suppose they are doing well, considering the lack of proper materials available at the moment. The experiment on the brain's lobes is yielding a lot of information pertinent to our research on the hearts."

"And this is… how?" Axel interjected.

"I have not managed to compile the information yet so as to actually be able to show to anyone. I have not drawn any decisive conclusions and, until I have, my experiments are not up for discussion," Vexen bit back, staying true to his frigid mannerisms.

One would hardly be able to tell that he used to love playing in the snow, building the snowmen that he'd only ever heard of in books. Zexion figured that it was just a part of losing one's heart. Everything that used to matter didn't anymore.

"That will do, Number IV."

_Zexion was struggling to control his actions. He knew that jumping Myde was probably a bad decision right now. Myde was being playful._

'_So… what do you want to know about me?' He asked Myde, forcing his lungs to work, not truly understanding why he was so worked up about it. Was his ear really that sensitive?_

'_Hmm… what should I ask next?' Myde was in a good mood, playful and knowing exactly what he was doing to Zexion. It frustrated Zexion to absolutely no end. 'How old are you?'_

_Zexion stilled, not really wanting to answer. Technically, as a Nobody, he was about ten years old. As a human, he was around twenty six. He looked to only be about nineteen. He supposed that would have to do._

'_I'm nineteen years old. So, it's my turn to ask a question, right?'_

_Myde grinned before leaning across and kissing Zexion on both cheeks before lightly bussing him on the lips._

'_I suppose so.'_

"Number III, how goes your plans on making the Beast into a Heartless?"

"I haven't started anything yet and I highly doubt that anything will be done yet. I need to set things up. The Beast is a strong individual and it will take a lot for him to lose his heart. I need to find a weakness in his defenses and then exploit it." Xaldin was calm, coolly explaining his progress in his smooth tones.

"Very well, then, I hope that you will have some progress within the next year or two. We have time. It's not as though we have the capabilities of aging."

"I have already gathered much information. The curse he's under, what is needed to reverse it. This is most probably his weakness. I just need more time to work on finding the greatest chink in his defense."

"You may have that time."

'_What's your greatest desire? What's the one thing you want to do most?'_

'_Right now, Ienzo? Well, right now… I want you, most of all. Right now, you're my greatest desire. Can you imagine how I want you?'_

_Zexion's eyes crossed slightly, gaining a glaze to them as he went through his mind, conjuring and imagining all the things that they could do._

'_I… I have a feeling I can.'_

"Zexion, how have things gone with our potential Number IX, Myde Mizu?"

Zexion was pulled out of his, rather naughty, thoughts at the sound of Xemnas' calm voice. He looked up to find the other members staring at him, Xemnas' gaze slightly threatening.

Zexion knew better than to say anything about what he'd seen Xemnas and Saïx doing the other day. This was not the time so Zexion was slightly curious as to why Xemnas was looking at him so ominously. What else could he possibly say that would warrant such a look?

He burrowed deeper into the slab of marble that served as his chair, wishing quite desperately that no one would notice his body and its rather excited state. He cleared his throat.

"Things are going well with Potential Number IX. He's showing signs of conflicting emotions normally associated with those who are close to losing their hearts. I'm also quite sure that his element will be water. He shows an aptitude and desire to be around water.' Zexion paused, not wanting to talk about this. This made Myde real to the others. He was, in all actuality, probably going to be Number IX. 'He is not much of a fighter but he's quite intelligent, especially where music is concerned. We can probably assume that his power will also deal with music. Because of his unwillingness to fight, I suspect that he won't be of much use where fighting is concerned. However, I do believe that he could be used for reconnaissance missions. He shows an aptitude for cunning and even trickery,' Zexion said, clearing his throat once more.

"So… even if he does become a Nobody, he won't be of much use to us?"

"No, Number II, I don't believe that. I believe that he will be of use where sly tactics are necessary. He won't be of much use to us where 'barge into battle and slash and dice' tactics are necessary. It's not his style."

Zexion was feeling just a bit snappish, unwilling to think that Myde wouldn't be any better an addition to the Organization than any of the other members were.

"What are the chances of him being able to survive the change? Will his heart be strong enough to let him survive? Is his will… strong enough?"

Zexion glanced at Xemnas, thinking and truly wondering. _Was_ Myde strong enough?

'_Ienzo, I just want you to know that I love you. I don't know why and I don't know how and, god knows, I think it happened way too fast but… I love you.'_

_Zexion stared at Myde, unable to think of anything to say._

'_I… love you, too. I think… you've given me my life back. So… thank you for that, Myde. I will always be here to protect you.'_

_Myde smiled once more, reaching across to pull Zexion beside him, kissing down his neck._

'_I'll be here to protect you, too. I promise, Ienzo.'_

Zexion swallowed, wishing that he didn't have to be here. "I believe he has a high rate of surviving. If he becomes susceptible to the darkness and the Heartless get to him, he will be able to turn. It's probably not what he would like, though."

Xemnas gazed down at Zexion in the lower seat.

"I suppose that's that, then. Worm your way into his life; guide him so that he will be susceptible to the darkness. We need all the strong Nobodies we can get, if we are to ever complete Kingdom Hearts."

Zexion nodded, not bothering to mention that he already was in Myde's life… or that he had absolutely no intention of guiding him towards the darkness.

The meeting continued, Zexion already slipping back into his memories from last night.

* * *

Zexion portalled out of the meeting hall, not wishing to stay on his hard seat for any time longer than necessary after the meeting was finished.

Axel followed him, arriving back at Zexion's room in time to watch Zexion begin to pack once more.

"How are you going to keep Myde from turning? Do you even have a plan?"

Zexion paused, looking back at Axel. His expression was solemn. For once, he understood.

"I don't know. I have no set plan but I will. I'm going to go to the library soon and research some… things. I don't want Myde to be turned. I'm going to try anything to keep him from… dying."

Axel bit his lip. "You do know that I'm not going to tell anybody, right? I would help you, but I've never been one for research and I'd probably be more of a hindrance than a help. Besides, I've received my official mission duty. I have to go babysit Ludor Delacroix until he's switched. Basically, your mission with a different person."

"Xemnas suspects something. I just know it."

"I wouldn't be surprised. Well… I wouldn't either way but that man knows everything. It's not such a far stretch to realize that something is going on with you. You've acted as though you have more emotions now than you ever have. He must know that it has to do with Myde. Which reminds me… why are you acting as though you are capable of emotion?"

"That's just it… I don't know. I don't think I am acting. When I'm around him, I feel as though I have a heart and that I'm fully able to feel. That's another thing that I have to research. This has never happened before. I don't know what it is or its affects. This could be disastrous to my mission or Myde's life," Zexion said, pausing. "Although, I don't really care if I fulfill my mission."

Axel gazed at Zexion, who turned around and went back to stuffing items in a black bag. Books were thrown in there along with his clock, toiletries, and normal human clothes. He didn't put a single Organization trench coat in there.

"You do know that you are going to have to tell Myde the actual truth one day, right? He'll never forgive you or trust you if you don't. And you know that he will find out, either from you or from one of the other Nobodies. He won't stay in the dark about this forever."

Zexion stopped throwing his articles of clothing into his bag haphazardly and stood, staring down at the pair of jeans in his hands.

"I know… I just don't want to think about how he will react when I tell him. He won't trust me. I know that. It will probably ruin our relationship. Do you know; he wanted to know more about me? I had to dredge up all of these memories from when I was a Somebody to tell him." Zexion sat down, still staring at the jeans as though they could tell him everything that he needed to know. "I hadn't thought about those times in so long."

"I don't like to think of my times as a Somebody, either. It happens with all Nobodies."

"It's not that I don't like them. It's just that I'm telling him about someone who, basically, doesn't exist anymore. Ienzo… died. And I'm not him. Not anymore."

"Then tell him about Zexion. Think of it this way: when you and he have sex, who do you want him to call out to when he orgasms? Ienzo… or… Zexion?"

"That's… sickening."

"But enlightening. Just think about it."

Axel swept out of the room, off to work on packing his own belongings for his trip to Port Royale. Zexion was left in his silver room, sitting on his bed, staring at a pair of jeans and wishing that there was some way he could stop feeling.

What had Myde done to him?

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, reviews from you. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Twelve: axeleah, DearJamie, Moogles With Flamethrowers, NaroRau, Blaze Moonlight, Hieisomething, Onemoreparadise, youkai chick supreme, Riku-stalker, Mizu Hoseki, ItaFearMe, LittleLoneLiar, sana-chan9, Roxen - chan, fullofmisery.**


	14. Skulking, Sneaking, and Other 'S' Words

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and/or any of its affiliates.

A/N: (_twitches, spasms, and **dies**_) Oh, oh, oh my GOD!!11!ONE1!! I can't believe that, after almost four months (or has it been longer?) I finally update this crap-tastic fic.

Now, just because I took four months to make this- kinda short- chapter doesn't mean that I wasn't busy. I also edited every chapter before it. Now, that means that I would be much abliged if you went back and re-read, although you don't really need to, because I didn't change anything drastic. I just- oh, I don't know- fixed all the grammar mistakes, chopped up paragraphs, re-arranged sentences and made it flow a lot better. However, I didn't change anything that wouldn't make it HTLAS. So, fear not for that!

Anyway, enjoy this chapter.

I'm sorry **kate avalanche**! She's my beta, but I'd finished this, and I just couldn't wait for her to reply back to me to get it out to you guys- 'cuz I'm horrible for having left it this long.

Dedication: I love you guys! The original chapter 14 was a message to some who left me a nasty PM, and a lot of you replied to me, by way of PM's and reviews. So, here, I'll put the PM's. At the bottom, I'll put the reviewers.

**PM-ers: DearJamie, Plain Jane Is A Vampire, Moogles With Flamethrowers, Riku-stalker, Open Yazumi's heart Skulls, TheaBlackthorn, xrainylovex, Erethil. If there is someone else, please tell me, and I will put you in here. If I didn't already, I am so sorry- I lost the list that had the names on it.**

* * *

**_Chapter Fourteen: Skulking, Sneaking, and Other Such 'S' Words_**

Ienzo Zalman 'died' at the tender age of sixteen. Apprenticed to King Ansem the Wise at a young age, Ienzo had never really had what one could call a 'social' life. His days revolved around researching, for, in spite of his young age, Ienzo was a genius and probably Ansem's favorite apprentice. There was no such thing as partying or dating where he was concerned.

Even after he had 'died' and been turned into a Heartless and, subsequently, a Nobody, he'd had no time or inclination for dating or partying. So, for ten years, he lived quite celibately as Zexion, Number VI of Organization XIII. And he was- well not happy, for he had no emotions, but possibly content.

Therefore, due to his rather celibate lifestyle, Zexion had never had sex. He'd never even thought of having sex, no matter that he lived with several sex crazy Organization members.

When he met Myde, those thoughts were completely thrown out of his mind. Myde was a healthy, handsome, young male and Zexion could not be blamed for wanting to do naughty things with him- especially considering the fact that Zexion felt the closest thing to love in his emotion-less state for Myde. To want to have sex with Myde- to consummate their relationship- was a healthy and natural thing to do want to do. They were both young and male.

However, Zexion had absolutely no clue what to do when it came to 'having sex'. As said before, he'd never had any before and the only one he'd ever kissed in a strictly non-platonic way was Myde. This was entirely new to him. Something he'd never done before and something he had no intention of doing with anyone except Myde. Zexion was almost ashamed to say that he was a twenty six year old virgin.

But, this was where Zexion's precious books came into play. He'd never ask any of the other members, least of all Axel, about sex; he'd probably die from embarrassment (forgetting the fact that he couldn't feel embarrassment and that he couldn't really die). So, he would research it. He wasn't a genius for nothing. He would learn all he could from the books within the library. There were surely to be a few books there that dealt with sex; there were probably some that dealt with homosexual sex, too. This was the type that Zexion needed help with. And, it was a double bonus because he had to do research on his newly acquired 'feelings' and this was like killing two birds with one stone.

So, Zexion finished packing after the meeting and his rather interesting talk with Axel, and went to the library, determined to get to the bottom of both his new 'feelings' and to find a way to have sex without bumbling it so badly that Myde would never want to be around him.

He spent hours in the library, which was not a hardship for him because he loved books (it was part of the reason his weapon was a lexicon) and the knowledge that they could give him. He soaked up the words, going through book after book, not really understanding anything that they said.

'_The emotions of a human are not controlled by the heart, as so many think, but rather by neurological stimulations in the brain.'_

"Is this what Vexen was researching? It could make sense. But, we have lost our hearts, not our brains. So, why can we not feel emotion if we still have our brains? And, why am I feeling now that I'm near Myde?" Zexion murmured, closing the book (_An Even Closer Look at the Emotions of the Average Human) _and standing up from his Indian-style seat. "Is it because we are Nobodies and things don't pertain to us as they do to regular humans?"

It was very perplexing. He supposed he should leave that to Vexen. He was the one working on it, after all. It didn't make much sense, though. Zexion shrugged, wanting to look elsewhere for something that had nothing to do with his previous research.

It was obvious that Myde expected to have sex eventually. He'd already hinted at it and, while Zexion knew that Myde would wait patiently for Zexion to feel ready for this big step, Zexion was not one to deny Myde what he wanted. He didn't have the heart (oh, the irony) to do it. And, Zexion couldn't deny that he was curious about it. From what he'd seen of Xemnas and Saïx and, from what Axel often said, sex could be quite pleasurable. Zexion wasn't an idiot. He wanted to feel this pleasure for himself- of course, only with Myde.

Therefore, once he was done with his emotions research, Zexion slipped out of the main library and walked over to the smaller, more personal library. The library that held all the books he would need to find out all that he could on homosexual sex. He gulped, slightly queasy at the thought of doing this. But, what else could he do? It wasn't like he could talk to any of the other members. They would probably laugh, or look at him as though he was an idiot.

He went down the stairs, not wanting to open a portal. That would be more noticeable than just walking down there, and the last thing Zexion wanted was to be noticed at this time of night. Although, really, who could ever tell what time of day it was? It was always pitch black like night. But, that wasn't really the point. This was the time when the Nobodies slept (yes, even though they didn't technically 'exist' they did have to do normal bodily functions like eat and sleep. It was such a strange occurrence) and for Zexion to be found wandering around the castle at this time of night… well, it wouldn't look good.

Zexion skulked all the way to the lower levels of the castle, bemoaning the fact that the homier library was all the way in the basement. What was it with Nobodies and being in low levels and high levels? Whatever happened to the middle levels? Nothing of import was on those levels. Zexion sighed, wishing that the castle wasn't so large and that Xemnas hadn't been the one to have the castle built: the fact that the library was so low underground had to be Xemnas' fault.

Finally, though, Zexion did reach the lower level library, and he cautiously opened the double doors, peeking around the corner to make sure that none of the other Nobodies were up and about. He _really_ didn't need to be caught at this point. How would he explain it?

After ascertaining that all of the others weren't there, Zexion quickly slipped into the library and shut the door behind him. He rested his head on the cool marble door, breathing a quick sigh of relief. Step one, complete.

Now, step two- find the books that he needed.

Zexion turned around and glanced around the small library. Of course, small was all in a person's prerogative. To Zexion, this library was small, compared to the academic library upstairs, where he had just been. To others, who were not used to this, the personal library of the Nobodies (although, only a handful of them actually used it) was quite vast, and was probably the length of a regular house.

Zexion was glad at how small it was. It wouldn't take more than a few hours to find the books that he needed. Now, how did Zexion know that this library would hold the sort of books that he needed? Well, it stood to reason that, since half of the gathered Nobodies were either gay, or bi, there would be some written works on their orientation. Zexion hadn't really cared to find out what his orientation was, so none of those books were actually his.

He reached up and pulled his overgrown fringe out of his face, revealing his other eye and looked around. Now… how to find these books in a timely fashion? Zexion hummed, wondering what to do.

'_Hmm… each Nobody has their own section, and then there is a section of overflow books. Now, which Nobody would be more likely to have homosexual books? Xaldin, I'm pretty certain, isn't even gay, so his section is out. Xigbar… he'd be more likely to have books on shootings than sex. Ha, he's probably more likely to have guns piled on the shelves than books.' _Zexion's thoughts whirled as he slowly passed by each section of the library, shooting off each one.

The layout of the sections was similar to the layout of the hallway that the Nobodies rooms were situated in. Each side held the opposite number's section of books, with corridors leading away into the actual section, with curtains closing them off to the prying eyes of the rest of the Organization. So, to the left were the even numbered sections, the number highlighted above the section, and to the right were the odd numbered sections. It wasn't difficult finding everyone's section.

'_Vexen… is he even gay? I don't know. He's probably more asexual than anything else. I swear, if he could make love to a test tube, he would do it.' _Zexion smirked at that, moving past Vexen's section, _'Lexaeus… I don't think I want to know what's in his. Mine… yeah; I already know what's in there, Saïx… hmm…. He might be a good candidate, considering what I saw the other day with him and Xemnas.'_ Zexion shuddered as the images from the day before flooded his brain. But, it was as good a place to start anyway.

Zexion shrugged, moving the curtain aside and stepping into the section. Good thing he wasn't really nervous. Otherwise, he might have died from the stress of possibly being caught in the Berserker's private stock.

* * *

Zexion emerged from Saïx's section an hour later, blush permanently fixed on his face and a shudder running through his body. No, the search through Saïx's section had turned up fruitless, but Zexion had seen some things that would forever scar him. Saïx's mind was… odd, to say the least.

Zexion looked past Saïx's section, and scoffed. Why hadn't he thought of it immediately? Axel's books were sure to house something of interest and worthwhile to him. After all, Axel was… Axel: probably as gay as they made them, in a certain way.

Zexion strode forward with purpose, swept the curtain away and stepped into what could be called Axel's sanctuary… although Axel wasn't really the type to read. Hence the reason for the dust coating every inch of the bookcases and novels- it looked like Axel hadn't been in here since he put the books there, when he first joined the Organization.

Zexion sighed slightly, bemoaning the condition the books were in. Books were sacred articles, and should be treated better than this. He ran his hands over the covers of the books, stirring up the dust particles and sending them swirling through the air. So far, he didn't see anything of worth to what he was looking for. He walked further into the dimly lit alcove, turning his head left and right, searching for anything that would be useful to him.

It was only towards the back, twenty feet into the small alcove, that he found what he was looking for.

Zexion smirked. He should have known that Axel would have _something_ of use.

He stopped, running his eyes over the titles of the books. Some were research and some were… hands on.

He raised an eyebrow at some of the titles on the shelf. Some were… most definitely inappropriate, and all were play on words. Zexion hadn't even realized that some of those words could be used… in such… different ways.

Zexion could feel blood begin to rush in his veins, as he lifted one book from its dusty confines, feeling that, if he'd had a heart, he would have felt it beating at twice its normal speed. Axel probably wouldn't mind him looking through here, especially if it meant that Zexion and Myde made love, but no one could ever tell with that man. He might not care, or he might be 'angry' at the fact that Zexion was snooping through his private stash, when these books were meant to be left alone, and only to be read by their owner. Yeah, what Zexion was doing was technically against the castle rules. Not like anyone would really care in this hellhole, but still… it was the _principle_ of the matter.

Zexion opened the book to the first page, and started reading.

Two hours later, he seriously regretted opening the book. Who knew if the positions discussed in said book were even possible- they certainly didn't seem possible when the laws of physics were employed. However, while he certainly couldn't say that he particularly enjoyed anything in the book (_Oh, My Lover!_), he couldn't help but grudgingly admit that it was exactly what he needed for his delve into the sexual foray. And it definitely tightened his pants a little too much.

He put the book back, and took another off the shelf. After only a few pages, he put it back- it was a heterosexual book, and of no use to him. So Axel was bisexual. That made some sense… in a strange way.

The moment he put the book away, dust swirled through the air and straight up his nostrils.

And he sneezed- several times.

And all of his careful sneaking around went to waste, because Zexion was a loud sneezer- so loud, in fact, that it could cause humans with beating hearts to fairly seize up in terror, so loud was it that they were startled.

So loud was it that it could echo throughout the cavernous hallways of The-Castle-That-Never-Was- which it promptly did.

Zexion finally seized control of his sneezing fit, and then rolled his eyes when he heard one Berserker yell in rage, and proceed on a rampage.

"Well, that puts a wrench in my plans," Zexion muttered, flicking his fringe of blue hair away from his face. He grabbed a few books -Axel wouldn't really mind, right? -and summoned a portal to his side.

He didn't care about making noise anymore. After waking up Number VII, it was a guarantee that the others would wake up.

At this point, it didn't matter. He'd found what he was looking for, without any of the other members any the wiser.

* * *

Mrs. Mizu opened the door to her son's room, and watched him sleep peacefully behind the gauze covers of his bed.

It had been a day since she and Myde had last seen Ienzo, and she couldn't say that she was particularly happy with this disappearing act Ienzo seemed to have perfected.

At least this time he'd left a note behind for Myde.

_Myde,_

_As you're reading this, I'm going to be gone. I know that I have this tendency to leave at times, and that it's not fair to you, but I have to leave. Don't worry about me this time- I will only be gone for a short while, and I have every intention of returning._

_I have some things that I need to clear up before I can return to you. Once I'm done wrapping some things up, I'll be back. I wish to take you in my arms again, and kiss you. I want to hear your laugh, and watch your eyes sparkle._

_Don't worry about me. I promise that I'll be back. Before you know it, I'll be there again, smothering you. You'll wish that I wasn't there._

_I love you,_

_Ienzo_

Andrea Mizu placed the note back on Myde's desk, and turned back to her boy. He wasn't worried, and therefore, neither should she be.

But mothers were mothers, and Mrs. Mizu was most definitely a mother. She couldn't help but be worried. She was so happy that Myde had found someone to love (even though, in her opinion, it had happened a little too fast) and she really didn't mind Ienzo. He was a nice young man- and what had happened to his mother was so sad. So, she didn't really have a problem with Ienzo as a person: it was his inability to stay in one place for longer than a day or two that she had a problem with.

If this was truly going to become a habit, she had no idea what would happen with Myde. He was a sensitive person, and affectionate. Once he decided to love, he loved with his whole heart, and everything in him. He was incredibly affectionate, and loved nothing more than to hug, kiss, and snuggle with those close to him.

Being away from the one he loved for extended periods of time would not be good for Myde, and Mrs. Mizu wasn't certain on whether or not Ienzo would stay around for longer than a few days.

Was it even really love on his part? She knew that Myde loved Ienzo, but did Ienzo really love Myde? Or was this more of a passing fancy disguising itself as love? How could either of them be sure about it, when they hadn't known each other for long?

Mrs. Mizu was a worrier, and just wanted to be sure for her baby. Myde deserved the best in the world- could Ienzo give it to him?

She placed a soft kiss on Myde's forehead, and slipped out of his room, meandering down the hallway to her own bedroom, where her husband waited.

"You're worrying, Andrea," Tom Mizu muttered, eyes trained on the book in front of him.

She sighed, taking out the earrings she wore and placing them in a small jewelry box. "Is it that obvious?"

Tom merely hummed in agreement, not straying from his book.

"I have a right to be worried, right?"

Tom merely shrugged.

"You're not doing much for my confidence right now, Tom. This is serious. This is Myde we're talking about."

Tom lifted his eyes from his book, and stared at his wife beadily. "You think I don't know this? Andrea, Myde's a big boy- he can handle anything thrown his way. You need to trust him more."

Andrea sighed, and slipped into the bed. "I know that, but that still doesn't mean that I can't be worried. I'm a mother: we worry."

Tom merely shrugged once more, before closing his book, pecking his wife on the cheek, and turned the light off, snuggling into the covers. Andrea, on the other hand, stayed in the same position, eyes trained forward, staring through the dark.

Things would be okay, right? After all, Tom was right. Things would be… fine.

But Andrea Mizu had this feeling in her gut that things were not going to go well for Myde… or Ienzo.

And she couldn't help but be afraid.

* * *

Zexion sat down on his bed, tumbling the books onto its surface, looking over their titles.

He would look over them later, but, for now, he had other things to do. He took the duffel bag he'd taken to Myde's house out, and dumped the articles in it out on the bed as well.

He had no fear that someone would come in, for he knew that the others wouldn't invade his privacy, even though they'd all been awoken by him, not that they knew that.

Either way, Zexion dumped the contents of his bag out on the bed, and started sifting through them.

He would need more clothing, because this time he'd been given specific instructions to stay longer, and he certainly didn't want to keep going back to the castle for more clothes. He had no intention of wearing the cloak. He had enough time to tell Myde about Organization XIII (although they only had eight members) and the cloaks. He probably wasn't even going to do that if he didn't have to.

If he could save Myde from becoming a Nobody then Myde need never know about the Organization… or Zexion's true status.

Zexion placed back in the bag almost all of his clothing, more books (he wasn't going to spend the entire time with Myde, he reasoned) than what he already had, and his complete toiletries. Even though he was a Nobody and technically non-existent, he still had to brush his teeth and bathe. His sweat glands worked perfectly fine, heart or no heart.

Another reason to doubt the whole so-called 'non-existence' ploy Xemnas was spieling. If they didn't exist, than surely they shouldn't have the ability to sweat, correct?

Still, this was hardly the time to wonder about Xemnas' thinking. A knock came upon his door, and Zexion looked up.

"Who is it?" he asked as he quickly zipped the bag up. There was no telling who was at his door, and Zexion really had no true desire to explain what he was doing.

"It's the awesomely awesome pyrotechnic- the one and only Axel," came the reply. Zexion narrowed his eyes and crossed his room to the door, opening it.

"You don't sound like yourself, Axel? What's with the dry tone?"

Axel yawned. "I don't sound like myself, Zexion, because I'm tired, a Berserker woke everyone up, and now that everyone's up, Xemnas is making us start our missions now, the hard ass."

Zexion titled his head. "He's making us start our missions now? But… it's the middle of the night? Can't we all go back to bed?"

Axel shook his head, slowly, pausing as another yawn slipped through his lips. "Nope," he said. "He says it's 'cause there's no time to waste, but I think it's because he can't get back to sleep and doesn't want anyone else to sleep if he can't."

Zexion nodded, backing into his room and letting Axel. "Is that why you're here? To tell me that I have to get back to Myde and my mission now?"

"No, actually," Axel muttered, rolling his eyes, "I don't care what you do. I'm here to ask if you were the reason why Saïx woke up. I mean, that man usually sleeps like a log- nothin' wakes him up."

Axel stumbled over to Zexion's neatly-made bed, flopping down on the queen sized mattress. "Fuck, Zexion… your bed's soft… oh, it feels good. I'ma just gonna go to sleep, m'kay?"

Within seconds he was asleep. Zexion shook his head. "You do know that I never told you if I was the reason for Saïx waking up," he muttered to the slightly snoring man, almost amused. All he received in response was a particularly violent snore.

Zexion didn't really care that Axel was taking up space on his bed. It wasn't like he was using it, and really, Axel had kept his secret, although he'd had no reason to do so. Zexion had no intention of waking the male up.

He lightly smiled, finishing his packing.

If Xemnas wanted everyone to start their missions, then Zexion had no true problem with cooperating.

He was somewhat anxious to be near Myde again.

Leaving Axel on his bed, Zexion picked up his bag, and strode towards the door, turning off the lights, letting only the heart-shaped moon illuminate the room, shining on the pyrotechnic sleeping soundly on his bed.

He walked down the corridor before opening a portal of darkness, stepping through the corridors of darkness and exiting right next to Myde's house.

He re-firmed his grip on his luggage, and started walking to the house, eyes only on the prize inside. He only wished to be near Myde, to smell that particular flavor that only Myde held….

He was stopped short, though, when he noticed a skulking shadow twitching in Myde's backyard.

Walking across the front yard, and entering the back, Zexion could feel something speed up in his system. What was over there?

His senses were alert, on double time, and it didn't take long before Zexion figured out just what was there.

A Heartless… a Shadow Heartless, creeping around in Myde's backyard.

"No," Zexion quietly breathed, eyes widening. He dropped his luggage on the dew-moist ground, and started to shake his head.

Whipping out his lexicon, Zexion quickly dispatched the Shadow Heartless, feeling as though he was going to panic soon.

A Heartless… here for Myde's heart… it was as though everything Saïx had predicted was going to come true….

They were going to find Myde… find him, rip his still beating heart out of his chest, and feast on it….

Zexion almost felt despair slowly encroach on him, darkness pressing around his body. It was like he was back to that horrific day when he'd lost his own heart….

"_Ansem, I believe that it would be a good idea to further our research on the heart's natural darkness…."_

He could practically see it play out in front of him, images flashing behind his eyelids, seeing a younger, more impressionable, foolish Ienzo in front of him. The space where his heart should have been spasms, constricting the hole where his heart had once resided.

"_Xehanort, don't you think it's about time that we stop? Using you as our test subject can only lead to more pain…."_

"_I'm not afraid, Ienzo. Anything, for the sake of science…."_

Zexion collapsed to the ground, barely registering the dew moistened grass now soaking through his cloak, freezing him.

He closed his eyes shakily, wondering if this were bad….

Is this what a heart attack would feel like, if he'd had a heart?

Everything was clenching in on him, turning him to stone…. The fear, the sadness, the anger, the hurt… it was all rushing through him, and Zexion felt, for the first time, like he had emotions….

But it wasn't real… it was just the memories… just the memories of what he'd felt when he'd lost his own heart… the weakness that the Heartless had preyed upon and used to take advantage of him….

"_Ienzo… I'm sorry, but… it's your mother…"_

"_Mother!"_

"_Father, how did this happen…?"_

"_Oh, Ienzo… it was terrible… these… these things… these crawling _things_… they… they… ripped her… Ien…."_

"_Father?!"_

Zexion was sure that if he'd had the necessary equipment used to cry, he would have… Ienzo's family… dead because of what'd he done… all for the sake of _science_….

Zexion now realized… that becoming a Nobody was his fitting punishment… punishment for causing the deaths of Ienzo's parents….

But Myde… what was his punishment? He'd never… he'd never done anything to deserve death… to deserve this fate worse than death… Myde would be gone, replaced by… by something not living, but not _dead_. Zexion knew that Myde would rather die than live their not-life.

Zexion couldn't… he couldn't let this happen.

His body collapsed fully to the ground, and Zexion's sightless eyes gazed upon the clear night sky, heavy with stars… and, if his mind hadn't been so caught up in the past images running through his brain, he might have seen one of the stars go out, as though it had been snuffed like a candle in its last dying gasps.

But he was too busy reliving his past, feeling as though all the emotions he hadn't remembered were rushing through his body all at once, setting it on a course for destruction.

His lungs raced air through his body, trying to get oxygen to the blood-enriched arteries… Zexion was dying, and his body didn't even realize that he couldn't… that the blood in him was just a façade, just artifice.

A Nobody, and still capable of all human needs… Zexion now cursed it, this last tie to humanity.

"_Ansem, I didn't think…."_

"_Oh, Ienzo… how could you?"_

"_King Ansem… I didn't mean…."_

"_Out of all of them… I thought…."_

He couldn't let the Heartless get to Myde….

_He let out one last gasp, feeling his body turn to ice… feeling that last bit of hope extinguish… felt his heart give out… felt as the Heartless did to him what they'd done to his mother… and then…._

Everything went black.

* * *

Myde woke up in the early morning feeling as though something was off. He frowned, tossed his bed covers off his body, and slipped out of his bed.

He went over to his desk and picked up the note, though he already knew it by heart. At least Ienzo had kept his promise, and told him when he was going to leave.

Still… Myde knew Ienzo was hiding something from him, something very important. Why would Ienzo lie, especially after all that had happened just the night before last? What was Ienzo not telling him? It wasn't as though Myde had any concrete proof that Ienzo wasn't telling the truth. It just this niggling feeling Myde had in the back of his mind.

It was like his mind was telling him to not believe everything that fell from those lips.

Myde touched his own lips, and a word whispered through him: _poison_…

Myde shook his head, unable to believe what he'd just thought. Ienzo wasn't poison, he wasn't lying, and he wasn't leading Myde on in some cruel joke.

Myde shuffled over to his dresser and looked in his mirror. Running a hand through his light blond curls, he sighed and began to look for clothing. Pulling out jeans and a t-shirt, Myde prepared for the school day. It was Thursday, after all.

Myde snorted when he realized that the next day would be the first week anniversary of when he'd first seen Ienzo. A week he had known Ienzo, and look at all that had happened.

He'd fallen in love with his stalker.

It was such a strange sentence that, when he'd run it through his head, Myde had trouble believing it. He'd fallen in love with a stalker after two days of knowing him. Now, nearly five days after having realized he was in love, Myde believed that his feelings for Ienzo were stronger than ever.

He believed that he'd made a good choice in whom he fell in love with; he was sure. He couldn't stand to even think that his choice was wrong. Or perhaps he was just biased. Ienzo was a good person, stalking tendencies be damned (or forgotten). He walked around his room, gathering his school supplies, and readying himself for the coming day of learning.

He stopped at the window, looking out on the rising sun, sighing at its beauty. He looked down to the tree outside his window when he heard a rustling, and gasped as a bird peeped and started to sing in its own language. He smiled, hearing the music, and then caught something dark out of the corner of his eye, lying on the ground of his backyard.

Frowning, Myde turned fully to it, then gasped as he saw Ienzo lying on the cold ground… passed out.

He whirled around and out of his room, racing down the stairs and out the door in his living room to the backyard.

He collapsed to his knees next to Ienzo, and grabbed his hand.

"Ienzo?! Ienzo! What are you…?"

Myde lightly shook his hand, but received no response. The hand was cold, but still pulsed with blood, so Myde knew that Ienzo wasn't dead. He breathed a sigh of relief. Gathering the slight body of his lover into his arms, Myde pushed up off the ground, striding towards his house and his room, face contorted in pain.

* * *

Andrea Mizu was in the land of dreams when she heard a thunk and light cursing emitting from beyond her bedroom door. Struggling up as she blearily blinked sleep from her eyes, she ambled over to the door, opening it to see something she wasn't expecting.

Myde, worry written all over his face, had his arms full with one purple-blue haired male, cursing as he tried to angle said male through his bedroom doorway.

"Myde…?" she called out, still sleepy.

"Mama! Help me, please. It's Ienzo…" Myde turned towards her, panic clearly exuding from his body. Andrea snapped awake, shock coursing through her.

"Ienzo?! What's wrong with him?" she asked as she rushed to cradle Ienzo's head up against Myde's shoulder, allowing Myde the room necessary to maneuver Ienzo through the doorway.

Myde moved through his bedroom and lightly laid Ienzo on his bed, sweeping back Ienzo's fringe of hair from his eyes, and lightly tracing the back of his palm over Ienzo's delicately sculpted face.

"Mama, I don't know what's wrong. I just… I found him in our backyard, passed out. Luckily, he's still breathing, so he's not dead. I just… I don't know what to do."

Andrea watched as Myde seemed to shut down, looking on the face of his beloved.

She rushed out of the room, in full mother-mode, and down the stairs to the kitchen. Grabbing a pot from under her counter, she filled it with water, and put it on the stove to boil. As she waited for the water to boil, she flitted around the kitchen, grabbing towels and the first-aid kit that she hadn't had to use since Myde was a child.

When the water was finished, a full three minutes later, she grabbed it and her other things and lumbered back up the stairs, being careful to not slosh the hot contents of the pot. Back in Myde's room, she put down her things, and crossed over to Myde, who was still in a dazed state.

"Myde, snap out of it," she said as she lightly shook him.

"Wha…? Mama, what's going on?"

"I don't know, Myde, but you've gotta help me." Taking his hand, she led him to his dresser, gathering some of the towels and pressing one into Myde's hand.

"Take this and douse it with the water. It's a compress of sorts- put it on Ienzo's face and his wrists. Try and chafe some warmth back to him. He's icy cold." With this Andrea left, staying only long enough to see that Myde did what she'd wanted.

Satisfied when she saw Myde douse a cloth in the hot water, not even flinching at the scalding temperature, and carry it to Ienzo, she left, going back to her own bedroom.

She grabbed the telephone on her nightstand and called her husband, who was already at work, trying to garner overtime.

"Andrea, what's going on?" Tom asked, confused as to why his wife was calling him at work.

"Tom, something's wrong. Myde just woke me up, saying that he found Ienzo lying out in our backyard. He's unconscious or something- not responding to anything we're doing. I'm having Myde apply hot compresses but I don't know what else we can do."

"Oh. Oh, okay. Um… try and return any warmth that he might have lost, and check for any wounds. See if there are any that are critical, if he might have lost blood."

"Okay, thanks honey."

There was a slight pause as Andrea tried to calm her flying heart.

"Do you want me to take the rest of the day off? Come and help you guys?"

Andrea shuddered in a breath, feeling like crying. Poor Ienzo… poor Myde…. What would Myde do if this was serious? What if Ienzo wasn't going to wake up?

"No, Tom; you stay there. We'll be fine for now. I don't… I hope, it's not anything too serious. It's just slightly frightening, that's all."

"Okay, sweetie, I'll try and take off a little early, get home to you and Myde sooner. Will you be taking the day off?"

"I don't see anything else I can do," Mrs. Mizu said as she paced the length of her room, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Alright- just stay calm, for Myde."

"Okay. We'll see you," then, almost as an afterthought, "I love you, Tom."

There was a slight pause. "I love you, too, Andrea. Now go help with Ienzo. Try and keep Myde calm."

Andrea nodded, not thinking about the fact that nods couldn't be soon through phones.

They hung up, and Mrs. Mizu placed her phone back in its cradle, moving back to Myde's room.

Taking her place beside Myde, the two worked together, trying to find anything to explain Ienzo's sudden appearance, or why he was in a coma-like state.

Through both of their minds ran the question of whether he was going to be okay.

Mrs. Mizu sincerely prayed that he would be okay, if not for his own sake, then for Myde's.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, for reviews. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated, and squealed over, and cried over, and jumped about, 'cuz I just love them that much.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Chapter Thirteen: Blaze Moonlight, Moogles With Flamethrowers, Mina, 13loves8loves9loves6, ItaFearMe, Onemoreparadise, DearJamie, Riku-stalker, Erethil, Sora17, Literary Mirage, RubyRoseoftheBlackBlood, kate avalanche, Lyless and lockesilver, Mickie, Lonely Anomaly, youkai chick supreme, TheaBlackthorn, xGothicSerenityx.**

**Reviewers from Original Chapter Fourteen: NaroRau, asaru-chan, Onemoreparadise, sana-chan9, Sadistic-Schemer, Mickie, Sora17, The Flurry of Dancing Flames, full of misery, terra hotaru, Madbunny2.**

Thank you so much for all of the support. You have no idea how much it means to me.


	15. And Within, He Dreams

**Sorry fans, for putting this back in your inbox... but I accidently deleted the first time... oops.**

Disclaimer: These are getting really monotonous...

A/N: Sorry, **kate avalanche. **I swear, I honestly meant to let you beta this (although why would you want to?) but I feel so bad that I'm holding a chapter away from the readers, when I held off on updating for over 4 months. I hope your internet connection gets better soon.

So, to all others: I finished this about last Wednesday, around 4 in the morning. I just... wrote, and continued to write until it was done. And, I have to say to myself, that this is probably my favorite chapter yet. I love everything about it, and I think it definitely shows how far I've come since beginning.

You know what I find kinda funny, and a little sad? 'Triple Dog Dare You' has 42 faves... 'How to Love a Somebody' has 37... Something seems wrong with these numbers...

Ooh, shameless plugging! I did an AMV. It's AkuRoku, done to the song 'Sly' by The Cat Empire. Weird song, but I love it, and it seems really like an AkuRoku song. Anyway, you can find it through a link in my profile. Shameless plugging done...

**WARNING**: THIS CHAPTER SHOWS WHY THIS IS AN M-RATED FIC. AND NO, IT'S NOT SEXUAL. THAT'S NOT FOR A WHILE, KIDDIES. DON'T READ IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH.

* * *

_**Chapter Fifteen: And Within, He Dreams**_

It had been a week….

Myde cradled within his hands a cup of hot chocolate, feeling chilled to the bone. There were dark circles under his eyes, attesting to his utter lack of sleep in the last seven days.

He sighed, and dropped his head in his hands, wishing that he could fall asleep, even if it was at the kitchen table. His eyes would flutter closed and then, just as he was about to doze off, flashes of Ienzo dying, or being hurt, would come, and he'd jerk back away.

Seven days- and Ienzo was no closer to waking up than he had been when Myde had found him on his back lawn all those days ago. To Myde, it felt like an eternity had passed. Seven days of constant watching over Ienzo… seven days of worry… seven days without more than two hours of sleep….

He was absolutely exhausted, and everyone was getting concerned. Mrs. Mizu, being the kind mother that she was, allowed him to stay home from school, knowing that going wouldn't help Myde any. She was going to have to make him go, soon, though. It was his senior year- he couldn't be without school for too long, if he wanted to graduate.

At this point, though, Myde was beginning to wonder.

Maybe they should have taken him to a hospital. Ienzo seemed fine, besides the fact that he was in a coma-like state. He was breathing normally, there had been no wounds over his icy, pale skin, and there was no tell-tale sign for his comatose state. But, he wasn't waking up. A week had passed, and there was no sign that he was even going to wake. The only movement his body made was to breathe. In the last 172 hours since he'd found Ienzo, Ienzo hadn't made a single sound. No moans passed his lips and no movement was to be had from his body; in fact, they'd had to move his body a few times, so he didn't get bed-sores.

Myde sighed, wishing he could just sleep- sleep like Ienzo was. Go to sleep, and never wake up… because, if Ienzo didn't wake up, Myde didn't want to do anything else.

He picked his head back up, staring into his coffee mug once more, wishing that the chocolate within held any appeal. He just wasn't in the mood, though, for one of his favorite comfort foods. He didn't need comforting. He needed Ienzo to wake up; to keep him from this state of vigilant worry.

Myde shivered, wishing that someone else was there with him. His mother hadn't been able to take any more time off to keep him company, and his father had never been able to take the time off. So, aside from Ienzo, he was all alone in the house. And it wasn't as though Ienzo was going to keep him company any.

This was one of the few times that he honestly and truly wished for a friend to be there: that he wished he'd had more friends that could help him. Although it was a truly sad thing to admit, Ienzo and Axel had been the only friends that Myde had that weren't family. And Ienzo was in a coma and Axel wasn't anywhere to be found. Had what happened to Ienzo happen to Axel? Myde hadn't seen hide or hair of Axel since he'd left all those days ago.

And it made him worry, because Myde just didn't _know_ what had happened to Ienzo and to think that it could have happened to Axel, who should have come by already to find Ienzo, scared him witless.

Myde was of the firm opinion that he was going to go absolutely nuts if this lasted for much longer. It was scary to him that he cared so much. That he wanted to forcibly wake Ienzo up, just so that he could see those blue eyes again- the eyes that resembled his hair so much, that they looked like they were just extensions of each other.

Myde abruptly got up from his seat, almost knocking over his mug of chocolate in his haste. Grabbing the cup from its precarious perch on the edge of the table, Myde made his way up the stairs, entering the guest bedroom, where Ienzo had been moved since that first day. Myde placed the cup on the nightstand before dragging a chair over to the bedside.

"Ienzo, if you can hear me… please come back. I need you. There's just nothing… nothing worthy in life if you're not there to enjoy it with me." Myde scoffed. "I shouldn't be thinking this way. We've only known each other for two weeks, and for one of those weeks you've been completely out of it. But…, I know that you're the one. You're the one that every person spends their whole life searching for. You're my… my soul-mate. I need you here, with me. Please… please wake up."

Myde closed his eyes, rubbing them with the heels of his palms, feeling as though he was only rubbing the grittiness in further. He hung his head when he received no answer. It wasn't like he was expecting one, though.

This wasn't the first time Myde had tried to plead with Ienzo; tried to get Ienzo to wake up, as though Ienzo could hear him, somewhere in his consciousness. Myde brought his head up, looking with tears in his eyes at Ienzo.

Pushing his body up and away from the chair, Myde skirted around the bed, coming around to the other side and slipping onto its surface, snuggling up next to Ienzo. He laid his head on Ienzo's, breathing in the smell of Ienzo's hair. It almost made him cry, though, because the scent wasn't the same.

They'd had to wash Ienzo, and it wasn't like the shampoo they used to clean his hair was the shampoo that Ienzo used. So, instead of the smell that Myde knew to be Ienzo's, he smelled coconut- the scent of the shampoo he used.

Myde decided that he'd never smelled such a worse smell before.

He sighed, and gently took Ienzo in his arms, careful to cradle him in a certain way. Ienzo seemed so fragile now- as though the slightest movement could snap his thin bones- could crush them. He burrowed his head into Ienzo's neck, running a hand along Ienzo's arm, feeling the cold flesh. Ienzo's flesh was so cold and pale that Myde could see the blue veins underneath the dermis. He ran his hand along them, faintly feeling the rush of blood through those veins.

There were slight goose bumps that were making their way along his arm, and Myde nearly cried. Because those goose bumps meant that Ienzo could feel what Myde was doing: he just couldn't respond.

He was really beginning to question their decision to keep Ienzo away from the hospital. It had been a practical decision, he knew. They had no idea what Ienzo's name was; they had no idea if he had insurance, or if he had a family that could pay for it. It wasn't as though they could use their meager insurance for any treatments that he might need. He wouldn't be covered. So, even though Myde seriously regretted not getting Ienzo to a hospital, he knew that there was nothing that could have been done about it.

He just wished that Ienzo would wake up. Wake up, and alleviate this worry from Myde's shoulders. Myde just wanted Ienzo back.

* * *

Axel was bored out of his mind.

Although, in the beginning, he'd thought that he'd hate his mission to 'baby-sit' Ludor Delacroix, he had figured that he'd at least enjoy the sites. After all, how many times did one get to visit Port Royale?

After three days of following this Ludor person, Axel was more than willing to say that once was more than enough.

Ludor was a gambler, of that there was no doubt. Although he played at everything from Roulette to Blackjack, Axel could tell that Ludor had a definite affinity for card games, and that those were the games he won at the most.

All Ludor did was gamble. He'd go to gaming hells each and every night, and sometimes in the morning. Axel had thought that it would be a different experience, but after being rubbed up by about fifty different busty women with thick British/Caribbean accents, he'd decided that he'd had enough.

It was now a week later, and Axel was sure that he had enough information. He couldn't leave, though, because an edict had been handed down by Xemnas through Xigbar, and he wasn't allowed to go anywhere for another three days. He was to stay put and gather as much intelligence on Ludor as possible.

He sighed as night slipped over Port Royale once again, and the seedier parts of town came alive. This signaled that Ludor would soon leave his palatial house in the better part of Port Royale, and make his way to the not-so-better parts of the town.

Axel truly hated going to these places, after having been going to them for seven days. It was quite obvious that Ludor had a gambling problem- one that might make its way to his Nobody. Of course, Axel was truly thankful that he wasn't falling for Ludor, like Zexion had for Myde. The man was insufferably hard-headed, and too stubborn to admit that he had a problem. Personally, Axel couldn't figure out the appeal of these places.

The place that Ludor entered that night was just like all the others: smoky, dark, filled to bursting with men in various stages of intoxication, and the women responsible for the constant flow of ale.

"Hey there, handsome; how about you and me go on to the back and have us some fun, hmm?"

Axel nearly rolled his eyes as yet another woman practically accosted him, offering him 'forbidden' delights at a small, _small_, _itsy-bitsy_ price. She was no different from the others: ballooning breasts that were like small clouds of pale white flesh sticking out of their bodice, a smoky, husky voice meant to seduce, and fluttering eyes meant to entrance another man to his doom.

Axel might have been bisexual at once, but his stint in Port Royale gave him the firm idea that he was giving up on women. He couldn't see any appeal in these turn-of-the-century women. Modern women didn't hold much appeal anymore, either.

Axel cursed, seeing that his charge had vanished into the crush of bodies. With another curse, he pushed the woman away from him. Ignoring the 'hey! I deserve more respect than that!' he moved away, trying to find his charge again.

The last thing he needed three days before he was allowed to leave was a lost charge. Or rather, him losing the charge: he highly doubted that Ludor was lost. He'd been coming to these hole-in-the-wall type places for several years; he was even known by name and was a valued customer.

He pushed his way through the multitudes of people, craning his neck above the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of the long dark blond hair of the British man he was sent to charge. He soon was giving thanks to his unnatural tallness when he saw the man he was looking for, his head bobbing through the crowd as he weaved through the people, intent on the poker tables in front of him.

Axel gave a sigh of relief. It wouldn't do to lose his charge. What if something bad happened before he could be turned? No, losing him was a big no-no. Going over to a nearby table, Axel took up residence, keeping an eye on both the burly dark-blond and the clock.

The man liked to stay up for all hours on end, and Axel liked to sleep. He was usually able to get one of the barmaids to serve Ludor with enough alcohol to keep him from staying up all night long, and giving Axel a chance to sleep.

He really felt like going back to The World That Never Was. That would have been a shock for him to admit if he'd been able to really feel. Axel didn't really like being in The World That Never Was, or The Castle That Never Was, either.

With his flaring red hair (that was actually red now instead of the orange-red of his Somebody), piercing acid-green eyes, and lightly tanned skin, he stood out among the white walls of the castle. It was a startling contrast, and while Axel was proud of his looks (and his nice hips), he didn't like the contrast. Therefore, he spent most of his time outside the castle- anywhere to get away from the endless rivers of white that swam along his vision.

Still, with women coming up to him, a pampered princess of a gambler to baby-sit, and the fact that he hadn't heard from Zexion since he'd left all those days ago (all the members had visited him at some point within the last week, to watch him in hell), Axel felt the need to high-tail his Nobody ass back all the way to that dreaded castle, and bury his head underneath his pillow and not come out for another week. He hadn't even been allowed to go to the two meetings at the castle in the last week, so he had had no respite.

He sighed, dropping his head in his hands, spikes of soft, red hair sifting into his fingers. He grabbed a hold of them, and started pulling gently. His brain was on overdrive, trying to give him ways to work through the absolute boredom he felt.

It was then that his stomach rumbled, loudly. Another barmaid, who was passing by, heard the heralding of his stomach to be fed, and giggled.

"Hey there, cutie; how about I get you some fish and chips? I bet a big, strong man like you needs a good, hearty meal." Then the girl giggled again, and winked slowly. Axel stared, torn between laughing at her attempt at seduction (although it more looked like an eyelash was stuck in her eye and she was trying to get rid of it) and giving into the wants of his empty stomach.

Then again, he was male, and food was one of his highest priorities. His lips tightened into a sort of grimace/smile and he spoke through clenched teeth, "Would you be so kind as to do that for me? I have to admit that I am somewhat hungry." He smiled again, the sides of his eyes crinkling in his attempt to smile.

Axel was not in the mood to smile. The girl giggled yet again, before moving away. Axel sighed and dropped his head in his hands again, wishing that the hair he was pulling through his fingers was the barmaid's' head, and that he was ripping it off. Axel never said he couldn't be violent given the correct incentive. A giggling blonde woman with pillow-y breasts the size of melons was apparently the correct incentive.

Five minutes later, and the smiling barmaid dropped his fish and chips on his table. He looked up to thank the girl, and was then accosted. The girl dropped into his lap, and latched her arms around his neck.

"So, handsome, why don't we have a little tussle? I'm sure that I could," and here she leaned down, whispering in his ear, "Keep you _nice_ and _happy_." She ended the throaty whisper with a nip to his ear.

Axel cursed, before sighing, rolling his neck, and dumping the woman out of his lap. "Sorry, _sweetie_, but I'm not interested in what you have to offer," he seethed through his tightly closed lips.

The girl huffed, and flounced away with a swish of her bulky skirts and petticoat. Axel sighed again.

It was here and now that he decided that he _**really**_ didn't like women. He also decided that blonds, male or female, just weren't worth the hassle. They invariably led to bad things.

He set his chair back to the table, and dug into his fish and chips. He muttered the entire time, sucking his teeth now and then, trying to dig the bits of tough fish out of his pearly whites. Every time one of the giggling hordes of women passed by his table, he'd develop a tick in his eye. He concluded that staying in this hell-hole was bad for his health- such as it was.

Once finished with his measly meal, Axel stood up from his table, paid his tab, and scooted to the corner near the poker table. He figured it'd be a good idea to keep a closer eye on the pampered princess.

However, once arriving at the aforementioned table, Axel realized that Ludor was nowhere to be seen. He craned his neck once more (he lamented in his brain as he felt something crick as he strained) and searched for that stupid head of hair once again. He finally found it, near the exit, and he cursed.

It seemed that he was gaining the vocabulary of a sailor. That Axel wasn't too sad about. New cuss words were always welcome in his book. Still, he now had to maneuver through the crowd, which seemed to have only gotten worse since he and pampered-princess-Ludor had entered, nearly an hour before. Thankfully, he finally made it to the outdoors, and he breathed in a breath of salty sea air, which was only slightly fresher than the air within the gaming hell.

Turning his head, he searched for his elusive charge. He cursed as he realized that the man was nowhere to be seen. He was about to move when a person clamped a hand on his shoulder.

He stiffened, feeling that hand drag down his arm, raising goose bumps. He swore, if that hand belonged to another _barmaid_…

"So, you're following me, huh? I wonder…"

The only thing running through Axel's head was 'oh, shit' and he knew that he'd been caught. He turned around quickly, catching an incredibly inebriated Ludor in his arms. He staggered underneath the weight.

"Ah, 'ello there, lovey! So, what ya' doin' followin' li'l old me, huh?" the nearly passed out dark blond man said, giggling in Axel's arms.

As the rancid breath washed over him, Axel gagged, and decided that it was official.

He was going to swear off blonds for good.

* * *

_He was falling…._

_Falling to where, he had no idea…._

_Zexion knew this wasn't real… his logical mind protested that it wasn't real… but Zexion felt like it was real…._

_This darkness… it was practically blinding…._

_Zexion closed his eyes, feeling that the non-light was searing into his eyes… he was blind… the darkness rushed over his falling body, creating a swishing sound that seemed to deafen his ears. _

_He was slowing down… everything was slowing down, it seemed, even though Zexion had no idea what was around him… the darkness was all-encompassing. He landed softly, back flat against the floor. He didn't want to open his eyes… he was afraid of the scuttling footsteps scratching against the marble floor underneath him. He didn't want to face them… didn't want to fight… didn't want to lose._

_He cautiously began to open one eyelid, knowing that to lay there was surely a death wish. He opened his eyes, feeling no change as the darkness remained, pressing into his body, pushing against his flesh as though it was trying to enter… to try and run through his veins instead of the blood already there._

_The darkness was encroaching… it was moving, roiling like a sentient __**being**__. If he didn't move, it was going to win; it would press through his flesh and enter his bloodstream, collapsing the veins, the organs in its heaviness. It would crush his body from the inside out. _

_He sat up, wondering what to do. He tried to summon his lexicon, to try and fight the darkness all around him, but it wouldn't come… it wouldn't obey._

'_No…,' it seemed to whisper… 'You are not worthy to wield me….'_

_He gulped softly, feeling the darkness move that much closer…._

_He scrambled to his feet, feeling his hands scratch at the surface beneath him, trying to find purchase on the slippery marble…._

_He hissed as he slipped, then he scrambled up frantically. His heart beat wildly…._

_He paused…. Heart…? He didn't… have a heart…._

_He pressed a hand to his chest, where his heart normally would have resided had he not lost it years before…._

_There… something was beating… erratically pushing against his hand, practically jumping out of his skin, out of the cavity his heart had left behind…. _

_It wasn't a heart- it didn't __**feel**__ like one- but it was trying to act like one…. It was beating wildly, pushing the blood through his veins, in and out his lungs contracted as his pseudo-heart pumped…._

_What was it?_

_Zexion felt fear… fear that he hadn't been able to really and truly feel since he'd lost the right to feel all those years ago. _

_What was in him?_

_His hands scratched at his chest, pulling the zipper of his Organization cloak down quickly. His fingernails scrabbled over his chest, right above his heart…._

_He didn't know what was inside him… what was it?! He needed to get it out… now!_

_His nails dug into his flesh like claws, trying to tear the skin apart, trying to get underneath, to where the foreign object was pulsing. His nails grabbed a hold of a small piece of flesh that he'd managed to scratch out, and he __**ripped**__. Grunting at the pain that seared through his body, Zexion continued on._

_Again and again, he ripped, tearing away at the flesh over his chest cavity…. Tears streamed from his eyes…, the pain was increasing in strength… in temerity…. Still, he continued on, pushing the pain away, desperate to be rid of this… this abomination beating in his body…._

_Soon, the outer layer of skin was shorn away, and Zexion reached a point where he could do nothing but grit his teeth… and push through…. Cracking a rib, Zexion screamed as his hand burrowed deeper and deeper into his chest…._

_Finally… __**finally**__…, Zexion was able to push past all the torn skin and fractured ribs, past the protective membrane. As though the fake imitation knew that its last moments were approaching, it began to beat faster…. Blood spewed through the hole, past Zexion's hand buried deep within his own body, running down his pale abdomen, and soaking into the leather of his cloak…. Zexion gasped, and wrapped a fist around whatever __**it**__ was in him… and he wrenched his hand away…._

_He couldn't scream; the pain was searing hot- white-hot lances of pain that were racing through him… He looked, gasping in pain, at the __**thing**__ in his hands…._

_And he felt like crying… because there in his hands… was a perfect heart… red in color, all its atria and ventricles completely formed and still pumping, although it was slowing down as though it were gasping its last final breaths before wheezing into oblivion…._

_The aortas were jagged around the edges… one was even missing, probably still within the hole left behind by his panic-induced attack on his own self. It was the only imperfection to the otherwise beautiful heart… _

_He gasped, staring at it in awe… it was so beautiful… so perfect… and it had been his for the use…_

_Suddenly, a blinding white light filled the area, and Zexion closed his eyes, hand clenching around the heart…._

_When he opened his eyes, he was in one of the familiar corridors of the Castle That Never Was…._

_There, in front of him, was Myde, face hard and closed, kneeling beside him. Then, his mouth opened in a feral snarl…._

"_This is how you treat my heart, Zexion?!"_

"_Your… heart…"_

"_Yeah, Zexion: my heart! I give it to you, and this is how you treat it?! You tear it out of your chest, as though it's not worthy of being there? I suppose that's all I am to you then, aren't I?!"_

_Zexion choked, eyes wide, the hand clutching at the heart raising to his face and wiping at the sweat there, smearing the still oozing blood of the heart onto his face… he didn't feel it, didn't acknowledge its presence. _

"_Myde…? Your… heart…?"_

"_Who's Myde?! Are you cheating on me?! Are you… are you lying to me?! How dare you! Then again, I suppose it's nothing more to be expected from someone who'd reject my __**heart**__…." Myde snapped._

"_Not Myde…? Where is… Myde?"_

"_Oh, I suppose that's all that matters to you then, huh?! Fine then… since you already tore my heart out of your chest, why don't you just crush it? Just grind it between those strong fingers of yours… turn to dust my love for you. After all, you don't care about me! Then again, what was to be expected from someone who didn't have a heart?"_

_Zexion's eyes fluttered in exhaustion. He felt the slight wind rustle through the jagged edges of his wound… felt it ruffle into the cavity and swirl around and through the still pumping lungs…. He was so confused…. Myde… had given his heart to him?_

"_Your heart… in me?"_

"_Yeah, Zexion… in you… I gave it to you long ago… but now you spurn it, as though it's not good enough… I suppose me losing my heart wasn't good enough for you…."_

"_This… this isn't real…."_

_Myde scoffed. "Not real? Take a look around, Zexion… where are we? Where did you take me after I lost my heart and soul?! You took me here…."_

"_Here…?"_

_Once so eloquent, Zexion was reduced to fragmented sentences, brain whirling in an effort to deal with the information being tossed at it so quickly…. There were still __remnants of pain left over, still jolting through his body at lightning speed, passing from nerve to nerve in a dance…._

"_Where else would we be, Zexion, since I can't be with my parents anymore- my parents, Zexion! They never did anything to you- and yet you took me away from them…. You're not fit to be a Nobody, Zexion…. You're not fit to teeter on the edge between darkness and light… you're worse than nothing, Zexion…."_

"_Not… not real… you're not… Myde…."_

"_No, Zexion, I'm not Myde…. Is he your lover boy? Is he the one that you'd rather have than me? I suppose me giving you my heart just wasn't enough… well, Zexion, fuck you!"_

_With a whirl, the Myde imitator gracefully rose to his feet, and walked away, leaving Zexion on his knees in the middle of a white hallway, heart still grasped in one hand desperately… crushing it… grinding it into powder….._

_Zexion's eyes fluttered again, trying to keep him awake… but he lost the battle, slumping onto his front, crushing the hand holding the heart between his body and the stone floor… forcing the heart back into the cavity it had left just moments before. But it was too late to force it to work there again… he had ripped it away, like a candy wrapper from a particularly sticky piece of candy…._

_He raised his head again, hand reaching out to the front, clawing at the stone before him. With hands still red with blood, and flesh still caught between his nails, Zexion crawled forward, pulling his body along behind his hand like a broken rag-doll._

_If this was real… then someone had to be here… someone had to be around… where was Myde… that had to have been Myde… he just didn't remember his Somebody… that had to be it… of course it was…._

_Becoming a Nobody had changed his personality… that was all… after all, who else but Myde would be like Myde, and know about the status of Nobodies?_

"_Myde…," he croaked out, voice cracking slightly. It was like he hadn't used it in years. Like tearing the heart out of his chest had done more than leaving a gaping wound in his upper body. "Where are you, Myde…? Come back… Myde, come back… don't leave me…."_

_He slowly inched forward, gasping every time he had to move his body, the stone scraping at the edges of his wound, tearing more flesh away, and leaving fragments of skin and bone behind him. The farther he went, the farther his cloak dragged, eventually being left behind, caught on the rough-hewn floor, leaving Zexion in only his black pants._

_He kept onward, steadily making headway, turning a corner… and there, as though waiting for him, was Myde once more. There was a gentle smile on his face, and his legs were crossed India-style._

"_Oh, Zexion," he crooned softly, reaching a hand out and nudging a clump of sweaty and sticky hair out of Zexion's blood-smeared face, "you don't look so good. Why don't you just lie down, and go to sleep? I'll watch over you, I promise… Nothing bad will happen to you," he continued. "Just lie… down… and let your body rest… it's been through so much… just rest…."_

_He felt lethargy steal over him, and his eyes slowly closed. "That's it," Myde cooed, "that's all you need to do…. Just close your eyes, and slip away. It will make things so much better, just wait and see…. Close those eyes and I'll sing you a lullaby..."_

_Zexion breathed softly, wanting so much to listen to Myde and close his eyes, and just sleep: sleep forever. Sleep sounded so wonderful to him…_

_But something was niggling him at the back of his haggard mind…. Hadn't Myde just rejected him…? Hadn't Myde told him that he wasn't Myde…? Myde wouldn't… he wouldn't know that Zexion was Zexion, and not Ienzo…._

_Was this real, or not?_

_Zexion's eyes fluttered to and fro behind his lids, and he listened as Myde started to softly hum, feeling that wonderful hand smoothing out the clumps of his hair. He sighed… maybe a little while wouldn't hurt…._

_He felt like this was a deciding moment… Go to sleep, or ask Myde an important question: the question that he'd come to this point in the hall to ask…?_

_Zexion lifted his head up again. "Myde… is this real?"_

_Myde smiled softly. "If it wasn't real, then wouldn't I be telling you to wake up, instead of going to sleep?"_

_Zexion smiled, feeling better. Myde would never lead him astray- never…. Still, something didn't feel right… and then he heard a little voice… a little voice that sounded so much like Myde, telling him to wake up…._

"_Myde, is this real- or not?"_

_He looked up, watched the expression on Myde's face slither into a morbid expression of anger, before smoothing back into its placid look of complacency and gentleness. _

"_Yes, Zexion, this is real…."_

_Zexion breathed through his nostrils. "You're not Myde."_

_The face slithered again, like a snake, before returning to its original state. "What? Of course I'm Myde, Zexion. Who else would I be?"_

_Still, Zexion persisted. "Not-Myde, is this real?"_

_Finally, the face cracked and slithered into its real expression. "If it's not real, Zexion, why don't you wake up?!_

"_WAKE UP!"_

* * *

"You wished to see me, Superior?"

Xemnas looked up from his papers, and smiled. "Ah, Number III: how punctual of you."

"As always, Superior. Is there a problem, Superior?"

Xemnas' smile grew wider; like a snake, it slithered across his face. "I'm sure that you've noticed the absence of one of our members, Number III, have you not?"

Xaldin sat in the chair Xemnas indicated, eyebrow quirked up slightly and a pensive look on his face. "Well, yes, I have noticed that a certain member has not shown up for meetings, like he was supposed to."

"Yes, Number III. You know our policies, I'm sure…. Go, and find Number VI, please, and bring him back. Find out why he hasn't shown up within the next week, despite the numerous summonses."

Xaldin smiled slowly, his face creasing at the corners at the foreign expression on his face. He didn't often smile, not feeling any need for it. "It would be my pleasure, Superior."

"Good. You're dismissed," Xemnas murmured, looking only briefly at Xaldin's retreating back before returning to the papers in front of him.

Xaldin, however, made his way to the last known place where Zexion had been: that of his charge, Myde Mizu.

Using his ability over wind, he sent it around the house, searching for the elusive Number VI….

Soon, the winds returned, whispering to him where Zexion was….

He smiled, taking a thread of the wind and using it to hoist his body up to the window where Zexion was.

There he found a sight that provided a lot of information about Zexion's behavior over the last few weeks.

There he found Zexion sleeping on a bed, with a blond man beside him, snuggling into his side.

"Well, well, Zexion: what have we here? Just what have you been hiding from us?" he murmured softly, allowing the wind to bring him back down to the ground.

Was Zexion merely sleeping? He had looked too still to be just sleeping. Had something happened to him that he was in such a state? Was this the reason that he hadn't reported back in a week?

Xaldin looked back up at the window above him. Well, he sure had a lot to tell Xemnas when he returned…. Still, this was such a good opportunity. He couldn't let it go, now could he?

He smirked. Of course he could: if he was a nice person. Xaldin had never been particularly nice, and he wasn't in any real mood to be start a new trend now.

He wondered… had Zexion told his charge about Nobodies? Had he explained to the man what was going to happen to him at some point in the near future? Had Zexion even told this man what he was?

Xaldin highly doubted that Zexion had done anything of the kind. He always was the secretive type, not willing to let information out until absolutely necessary: he truly fitted his name.

Then again, Xaldin was known for having the affinity to come in and sweep away all the prior plans a person had.

He figured that he might as well do that here.

Whirling around, he walked to the front door, and rang the bell, making his wind threads carry the sound up to the upstairs bedroom where Myde was.

He always did enjoy a little meddling in affairs that weren't his.

He waited patiently, knowing that Myde was slowly making his way down the stairs. Then the door opened, showing a beleaguered and exhausted blond on the doorstop.

Xaldin smiled quickly and spoke; "Hello," he murmured quietly, watching as an alertness that hadn't been there before entered into the young man's eyes.

This would be such fun.

* * *

A/N: I will not ask, nor demand, for reviews. However, if you do decide to review, do know that they are very much appreciated.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviewers from Second Chapter Fourteen:** **Open Yazumi's heart Skulls, Moogles With Flamethrowers, DearJamie, TheaBlackthorn, axeleah, LittleLoneLiar, Mina, What About Today, LiteraryMirage, TwintailCat, purewhiteshadow, Sadist-Schemer, Crystal Royale, 13loves8loves9loves6, Bluemoon4sphinx, Lyless and lockesilver, Riku-stalker.**


	16. He Knows Everything

Disclaimer: I don't own this in any world, dream, etc...

A/N: So, I finished chapter 16. **READ THIS:** I've been getting a lot of reviews lately asking if this was going to be over soon; that it sounded like it was coming to an end. And I deliberated over whether I should answer this question or not. Well, I've finally decided that there's no reason to beat around the bush. I have the rest of the story planned out and it doesn't matter if you know this or not. So, I'll tell you. The last chapter will be chapter 20. With that chapter, this story ends.

And, in other words, I got a livejournal! Friend me if you would like. You can find a link to it through my profile. There you will find journals on why I haven't posted anything. Everything is completely open and public, so you'll be able to see everything. This is merely to keep you updated on what's going on in my life so you'll know why I haven't posted. I won't go on about my personal problems, though.

Ah, school's back in session so I don't expect as many reviews as I recieved for previous chapters. I only got 13 for the last chapter. Not that 13 isn't an awesome number, 'cause it is.

This has been beta-approved. Thanks **kate avalanche**. You're awesome.

* * *

_**Chapter Sixteen: He Knows Everything**_

Myde stared at the man on his front porch, and wondered just who he was.

He didn't fail to realize that the man was wearing the same cloak that both Ienzo and Axel had originally shown up in and this made him that much more curious.

Plus, were those side-burns _alive_? He narrowed his eyes at them, wondering if something was crawling in them.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Xaldin nearly smiled. Ah, this boy was certainly polite. Xaldin always held an affinity towards those who were polite.

"I don't think so. In fact, I think _I_ may be able to help _you_." Xaldin smiled, pearly whites gleaming, showing off the slight fangs of his teeth. Oh, was he going to enjoy this.

And Zexion wasn't going to be able to do anything about it.

"Excuse me? How exactly can you help me?" Myde narrowed his eyes, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion.

"Well, I think I have the answers to every burning question you have regarding Zexion."

Myde's face relaxed. "I'm sorry, but I don't know any 'Zexion'. I think you might have the wrong house."

"Oh, I think I don't. You see, Zexion is a _friend_ of mine. You should know him- he was meant to look after you, after all. He's about five-four, pale skinned, blue gray eyes that match his hair perfectly…" Xaldin trailed off, teeth still set in a smile.

Myde's face blanched. "Excuse me? I, um… the only one I know of that sounds like that is Ienzo, and I doubt he would know someone like you. In fact, Ienzo wasn't sent to 'look after me'."

Xaldin felt like chortling. This was even better! Zexion had lied to the little man. "Oh-ho, I think I have exactly the answers you want. You see- Ienzo doesn't exist; just a pseudonym for Zexion. Can I come in and tell you what I know?"

Myde hesitated. Ienzo wasn't Ienzo? Then- who was that man upstairs? Did Ienzo not exist and was this person Zexion? It was so confusing. He wanted to know answers, and this man seemed to have them.

But he didn't trust this man anymore than he could throw him, which wasn't all that far.

Still, it seemed like he held all the cards, if that smirk on his face was any indication. And Myde was so _curious_.

So, all the while wondering if he was making a mistake, Myde let the man in.

Xaldin's evil smile grew even larger as Myde let him in, indicating with one hand to cross the threshold of his house.

"So, Myde, what would you like to know first."

"Well, it seems you know my name, but I don't know yours." Myde stiffened, leading the man to his kitchen. He did not trust this man.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Myde. You see, I'm Xaldin, Number III of Organization XIII."

Myde sat at his kitchen table. "Organization XIII? Am I supposed to know what this 'Organization XII' is?"

Xaldin sat down across from him. "Are you to tell me that you don't know?"

Myde stared. "Why don't you cut the crap and tell me what you came to tell me, or get out."

"Oh, you're no fun, Myde. I suppose Zexion has been truly derelict in his duty to you. Why, if you had been my charge, you would have been informed of everything by now. I'm not one to keep someone in the dark, after all."

Myde just stared at him, glaring with his eyes. Myde had never felt this intensity of hostility for anyone before. The man was just too cryptic for his own good.

"Oh, very well, I'll get on with it. You see, that man upstairs in that bed is not who you think he is. In fact, his name isn't Ienzo, like he told you, but rather Zexion. Ienzo died ten years ago, at the tender age of sixteen."

Myde scrunched his face up in anger. "Who are you to tell me that I don't know him?!"

Xaldin smiled, and leaned in. "I'm his superior, that's who."

"Superior- to what?! What makes you better than him?" Myde spat in disgust; this man was going too far.

"Well, Zexion and I are very special people. In fact- there are only six others like us in all the worlds. And I became special before him, so that makes me superior to him."

Myde sat forward. "Oh, so you're _special_. That's nice."

Xaldin raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Myde's joke.

"So, what makes you and this Zexion guy so 'special'?"

Xaldin smirked. "We're special, because we were born without hearts."

Myde sat there, just staring at the dreadlocked man, and then laughed. "Oh, you have no heart then, huh? I wonder how you're still living then. Wow, you're off your rocker!"

Xaldin was not so amused anymore. Who was this kid to insult him, Number III? He grabbed the boy's laughing hand and laid it on his chest, right where his heart should have been.

And Myde stopped laughing; firstly because a stranger was pressing his hand up on his chest, and secondly because he couldn't feel a heartbeat.

There was… nothing… beating underneath that icy skin.

Myde shot out of his chair, toppling it over. He scrambled over to the other side of the kitchen, staring in terror at the thing before him. How could anyone live without a heart?!

Xaldin slowly rose out of his chair, the back legs scraping against the linoleum flooring. His expression was blank.

"Are you ready to listen now, little boy?"

Myde could feel tears coming to his eyes as they dried out. He hadn't blinked in the last minute. How could he let this thing in his house? What was it trying to do? Who was this Zexion guy? Why did the man have no heart? But he could remember distinctly feeling a heartbeat under Ienzo's flesh, when he'd kissed him there and held him. How… how could he have no heart?

Myde blinked, one eye slightly twitching.

Then, very slowly, he shuffled back to the kitchen table.

At this moment, he could truly say that he was stupid, because if he was smart, he wouldn't have believed anything that the man was saying about Ienzo- his love- and he would have kicked the man out of his house.

* * *

_He was running._

_He was running away from the Not-Myde, the man who wanted him to wake up. No, Zexion knew that the Not-Myde wanted him to sleep, not to wake up. He couldn't figure it out, though._

_Was this real, or not? He felt awake. After all, he was running, and panting, heart still squished in his hand. He wasn't willing to let it go._

_He knew something about this was wrong, like a dream gone wrong. Or, was it a dream? If it was a dream, then was this the part where he woke up?_

_Why was the Not-Myde so mean? Was this what Myde would be like if he lost his heart? Where was the real Myde? _

_And it was this thought that made him stop, letting the Not-Myde catch up to him._

_Then, like water through a sieve, the Not-Myde ran through him, like a ghost passing through a human._

_He shuddered at the feeling of the particles that made up the Not-Myde pass through and around him, covering him like cloth, and then it was gone and the Not-Myde was running ahead of him… and then he disappeared. _

_Zexion stood still, staring at the place where the Not-Myde had disappeared, and then he turned his attention to the heart in his hand. _

_He held it up to his face, staring at the dead organ. "Are you Not-Myde's heart, or the real Myde's heart?" he asked it, as though it could answer him._

_He ran a finger down the side of it, caressing it lightly. He felt like cooing to it, like a parent does to a child._

_Then, with a soft smile, Zexion forced it back into his chest. Then, magically, the heart soldered to the jagged parts it had left behind. The wound started to heal, closing up, and Zexion smiled more._

_It was the real Myde's heart, given to him willingly. And it willingly started beating again, as the wound's torn edges sealed, leaving a perfect heart encased in his chest._

_Zexion knew that it was time to wake up. _

With a shock and a gasp of choked air, Zexion was startled into consciousness, and he jolted up in the bed he was on. He twisted in the bed, catching the sheets around his middle and he stared wildly around at the room.

His gaze looked over where he was, and he was curious. Zexion had never seen this room before. He turned his head towards the door, and there, by his bed, was Myde, head down, hands clasped together.

"Myde?" he asked, twisting his body over to see Myde better. "Myde, there's something that I need to tell yo-"

"I don't think that's really necessary, _Zexion_. You see, I know already," Myde spat, raising his head and glaring at Zexion.

Zexion recoiled, withdrawing the hand he'd extended towards Myde and whispering, "Zexion? How do you…?"

"Know, Zexion? Maybe a little birdie told me."

Zexion shoved the covers away from him, and scrambled out of the bed, fingers clawing into the sheets as he pushed his body up and out. He very nearly fainted, not having actually eaten anything in the last week.

"Myde, who told you?" he asked as he shuffled over to Myde, grasping one of Myde's hands.

Myde thrust his hand away from Zexion's, nearly growling in anger. "It certainly wasn't you, Zexion. You… you lied to me! How could I ever think that you were speaking the truth? I mean, I knew you weren't telling me everything but I believed that at least you were telling me your real name!"

Zexion nearly felt like crying. He'd never felt this much emotion before. Was his dream true? Had Myde given him his heart?

"Myde, I swear, I didn't do it to hurt you!"

Myde stared straight into Zexion's eyes. "I want you to explain everything to me and then I want you to get out."

Zexion felt crushed. Oh, God, the emotions coursing through him. How could this be? He still didn't have a heart.

"What do you already know?" he asked, figuring that now was the only chance he'd ever get to explain to Myde what he'd done.

Myde pursed his lips, clamping his eyes shut. Zexion reached out to hold Myde's hand, once more, but Myde drew it back, away from him.

"I know most of the… technical stuff. About how you're a Nobody and you have no heart, and you're a part of a group of Nobodies that are trying to gain their hearts back. Xaldin told me all of that but… I want to know from you, what you were doing here, and why you never told me who and what you are. Why you lied to me all this time."

Zexion closed his eyes, feeling faint. He turned around and sat back down on the bed. No sooner had he done so than his back gave out, causing him to fall down on the bed's surface.

Myde looked up and cursed his good-hearted nature. He got up, stormed out of the room, and downstairs to the kitchen, where he bypassed the table that he'd had all his hopes stepped on and stepped over to the refrigerator, grabbing some food, and taking it back up to Zexion.

"Here," he forced out, thrusting the food at Zexion. Gone was the man who had fed him willingly. Gone was the man who had taken to having a stalker with relative ease.

"Myde," Zexion whispered, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, or anything of the kind."

Myde stayed silent, only moving over to sit back down in his chair. "As far as I know, you can't feel sorry. Mind telling me what that's all about?"

Zexion looked down, then took a sip of the water Myde had given him.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning then, shouldn't I?"

"I don't care where you start, Zexion, just start," Myde muttered, giving no quarter to Zexion.

Zexion licked his lips. "My name is Zexion. I am Number VI of Organization XIII, although we only have eight members. I am what people term a 'Nobody'- those with no hearts; no heart, no feelings- no emotions. But I wasn't always this way. It wasn't like a born a freak- well, I guess that depends on who you talk to."

"You're not making any sense, Zexion."

Zexion sighed. "I know- I know I'm not, and I'm sorry."

Myde sighed, slapping his hands on his thighs. "Do you even realize how worried I was about you for the last week?"

"Week?! I've been out for a week?!" Zexion asked, staring wild-eyed at Myde, whose face almost crumpled in tears.

"Yeah, a week. In fact, it's been exactly seven days and," he looked at a clock, "four hours since I found you in my backyard, completely unconscious and unresponsive."

Zexion sighed, twisting the bed sheets around in his hands. "That must be why Xaldin came- he was sent to find me. I wasn't supposed to be gone so long without checking in at least once.

"Myde, I was born Ienzo Zalman. I lived for sixteen years as Ienzo Zalman. I was- brilliant. A child prodigy, they called me. And because of how smart I was, I was chosen- out of a long list of candidates- to become an apprentice to my King, Ansem the Wise. It was… such an honor. Sixteen and to be given such a responsibility… it was a drug practically, going to my head like sugar." Zexion paused, turning his head to watch Myde, who seemed almost catatonic himself.

"There were six apprentices, and I was the last one- and the youngest. The one closest to my age was Aeleus and he was twenty-two. The oldest was Braig, coming in at thirty-three. Even looked older, but he was only twenty-six. But still- I was the youngest, and I was ridiculed because of it.

"But, I was Ansem's favorite; there was no question about that. We were scientists. As scientists, we sought out the answers to all the questions of the world. And there was one question that we sought to answer more than any other. Hearts are curious things. They're meant to keep us alive- to pump blood throughout our bodies, to keep oxygen flowing to our organs. Without the heart… we're nothing.

"And we thought we were God… and we fooled with things we shouldn't have ever thought of doing. We were experimenting with the psychological side of the heart; the part that controls our emotions, or so we thought. It's been proven that there is darkness in every person's heart. There is a part- sometimes big, sometimes small- that is dark, and evil. We learned so much…."

Myde sighed. "What does this have to do with anything?"

Zexion smiled, cracked lips parting. "I'm getting to that."

Myde nodded, deciding not to interrupt again.

"After a while, our experiments started getting more and more dangerous as we delved deeper and deeper into the mysteries surrounding the heart. Eventually, King Ansem wanted to stop the experiments. But I-," Zexion stopped, mind flooding with memories, "but I convinced him to continue. It was all for the sake of _science_ and at sixteen, science was all I thought about. I was curious and science had taught me, if nothing else, that only I could solve the questions I had.

"But we went too far. Xehanort, the 'leader' of the apprentices, decided that what we were doing wasn't enough. And so, he went behind the back of our king, and continued the experiments, even though by this time King Ansem had told us to back off completely, my arguments unable to shake his resolve. Now, I can see that he had the right idea."

"What happened?" Myde asked.

"We learned that there are many worlds out there and that they all share one thing: a heart. There is what is called the 'heart of the world'. From this part of the world, all the secrets, the knowledge that could be obtained from finding it, and opening it, would be ours. We didn't know that opening it would… would cause such destruction."

"Why did it… do that?"

"As I said earlier, within every heart there is darkness. It's no different for the heart of a world. And from this darkness that we opened- voluntarily- spewed these beings: beings made entirely of darkness and with only one purpose in mind. They wanted hearts and they wouldn't stop at anything to get them. They were… vicious, voracious, hungry, and unstoppable. I wasn't there when the door opened, so I can't say exactly what had happened. But it got to all of the apprentices except for me and Aeleus before we even knew what had happened.

"I… I was working on something else in another part of the castle, when Aeleus burst into my lab and told me that something was happening in the village- the village where my parents lived. And he also told me that something had happened to my parents. What else was I to do but to go and see what was happening? How could I not try and help my parents, who had never done anything to anyone?

"I moved as fast as I could, racing down to my parents' home, but when I got there," Zexion closed his eyes, "when I got there, I saw my mother lying on the ground, in a puddle of blood, with her chest ripped open and her heart being devoured right in front of me by this dark being." He broke off and looked at Myde, almost-tears shimmering in his eyes. "She never had a chance, Myde: they were too strong and she'd been taken by surprise. I found my father when I went a little bit farther into the house. He was still alive at the time, but only because his heart was still there. They hadn't taken it yet. But he was bleeding profusely and wasn't going to live much longer. He took my hand, Myde, and he tried to tell me what had happened. But he couldn't get more than a few sentences out before he died- and I don't know exactly what happened."

Myde shuddered, tears spilling down his cheeks at Zexion's words.

"I went back to the castle, to speak to the other apprentices, to find out what was going on. I never found the bodies of the others, but I did find King Ansem. And he, he accused me of causing what had happened, saying that he couldn't believe what I and the others had done. Then he went on to say that it was mostly his fault, for letting his curiosity about the heart get out of hand. He moved away from me, muttering about what had happened. He left me and I went to find the others. When I went to our lab in the basement, all I found was that the lab was in complete disarray. Tables were overturned, chemicals spilled all over the floor, blood smeared on the floor and walls. And there, at one end of the lab, was this hole- this green, black _hole_- and from it more creatures were crawling out of it.

"That was the last thing I saw before one of them found me, and took me. My last true feelings were of pain, and regret, and guilt, and I felt it as my heart was ripped out of me. Then I died. When I woke up, I was in another world, with my hair bluer than before, my eyes a darker blue than before, my hair in a different style, and I was slightly shorter than before. And there was nothing in my chest. There was no heart, and there was no feelings- no emotions. Myde, you have no idea what it is like to be absolutely empty on the inside- no feelings, no emotions, nothing to tether you to the real world.

"I had no memories of what had happened right before, and I didn't for ten years. I found the others and we made up the organization. At the time, it was just us six. Then Saïx came. He's Number VII- we go in the order we 'died' and were admitted to the Organization- and he controls the moon and can 'see' things: specifically, he can see how many will join the Organization and who they are and when they will turn into a Nobody."

"Wait- controls the moon? How does he control the moon?" Myde interrupted, slashing a hand towards Zexion.

"Well, each Nobody- each higher up Nobody, that is- has a certain attribute that they can control. We believe that it's a way to keep with our original Somebodies- the people we were before we became Nobodies. You see, this attribute is something that was connected to us before we died, be it an affinity for something, or something that we were particularly good at."

Myde huffed. "So, it's like a magical power, is that it? Okay, I think you've officially tipped the scales this time. I don't believe you, and I don't believe that 'buddy' of yours. So, what kind of sick practical joke is this?"

Zexion shook his head frantically. "No, no, Myde, it's nothing like that. I swear I would never do something like that. Here, I'll prove it." With this, Zexion reached out, grabbed Myde's hand, and placed it on his icy chest. Myde felt nothing. There was no heartbeat, no pulse, nothing to show that this man was alive. His hand slid up to Zexion's neck, where he tried to take Zexion's pulse. There was nothing there.

"But… but how can that be? I know I felt a heartbeat earlier- I wouldn't have been able to miss it. How… how could I have missed something as important as a heart?!" Myde cried out, hand seizing on Zexion's neck.

Zexion sighed, turning his head away, hands back to twisting at the sheets. "Because I wanted you to, that's how."

"What- what do you mean?"

"My 'power'- as you so call it- is illusion. I can… make you think or see or feel anything that I want you to. It's not real, of course, but it works for the duration that I need it to. I needed you to feel a heartbeat, so that you would believe that I was… human, and not something unnatural. I needed you to trust me and then I needed you to not find out about till me till I was ready to tell you about everything."

"You… so you were planning on telling me about everything? Oh, and when would that have been- after I lost my heart and wouldn't be able to feel any sort of anger towards you?!"

Zexion sighed. "I deserved that. So you know that… Saïx predicted that you would lose your heart?"

"Yeah, Xaldin was nice enough to tell me that."

Zexion twisted his mouth. "I never really did like Xaldin when we were still alive."

Myde placed his fisted hand on his forehead. "Zexion, just tell me what's going on now. I- I need to know now, not when it's comfortable for you."

He nodded, listening truly to what Myde was saying. "I didn't intend to fall for you, Myde. Hell, I don't know how I did. I'm a Nobody. I'm not supposed to be able _to_ 'fall' for someone and out of everyone that I could have tried to fall for I fell for you, my charge. Myde, we're given missions in the Organization. Mostly those missions are to eradicate the Heartless that appear in the various worlds. Sometimes, though, a new Nobody is going to be created soon, and Saïx is notified of that, and he tells us. A specific person is picked to watch over the Somebody, to keep them healthy and safe until their time."

"Why not try to keep them from becoming a Nobody? Why subject them to what you've gone through?"

Zexion didn't know how to answer. "I… don't know. I suppose the more Nobodies we have on our side, the greater our chances of finding hearts."

Myde nodded and Zexion continued.

"I was given the mission to watch over you, Myde. That's why I was stalking you, although the reasons that I gave you that day in your basement were also true. You fascinated me- everything about you was a complete contradiction of everything I'd ever dealt with and I'm a scientist to the core. Then I started to feel that I wanted to protect you- protect you from those poles you had a habit of crashing into, and the cats and dogs you had a habit of tripping over. You were a disaster to yourself, and I'd never felt this way before, even before I was died and turned. I never felt the need to protect another aside from my family, and this sent me into a tailspin. And then you figured out that I was following you, and you know mostly everything that happened from then."

Myde nodded, still sniffling from the crying he'd done. "So- those times that you left? Were those you going back to your base and checking in?"

"Yes- I had to attend a meeting the last time and that's why I'd left. I was coming back to you, intending on staying a while longer than I usually do, and I saw a Heartless in your backyard."

"A… Heartless- is that the creatures of darkness you were talking about?"

"Yes- it's actually somewhat funny. We call them Heartless because they have no hearts, and are always in search of one, and we call ourselves Nobodies because we have no hearts and are unable to feel. It should be the other way around. We are the ones without true hearts, and the Heartless are the ones without true bodies. But, such as it is, it doesn't matter. I saw one, and it sent me into shock- something else I didn't think was possible."

"Why did it send you into shock?" Myde asked, leaning forward.

"Because a Heartless was in your backyard, Myde: only feet from you and your family. It could have easily killed you. It brought into perspective everything that was going to happen, if I couldn't stop it. And it brought back the memories of the attack that I and the others suffered that day, ten years ago. For the first time, I remembered everything that had happened- all of the pain, and the fear. If I had a heart, I would be dead from the shock. True feelings rushed over me for the first time in over ten years, and I could actually _feel_. You wouldn't know what it was like, to be surprised like that: to suddenly have all of your emotions rushed up on you for the first time. You've lived with them all your life."

"So… so this Heart-He-Heartless thing you found is going… to kill me?"

"The whole point of my coming was to watch over you- to make sure you were ready and able to survive the change the Heartless would wreak upon you."

"Wait, survive? Is there a chance that I couldn't survive?"

"You see, when a person's heart is consumed by a Heartless, they don't just die- they become a Heartless, too, and your body becomes a shell for your Nobody form. However, higher forms of Nobodies, like myself and those within Organization XIII, are different. We had strong hearts as Somebodies, and so we survived to the point that we were able to keep mostly our original body shape, our brains, and our capacity to logically think. Most regular Nobodies are not like this. Their hearts weren't strong enough, and so they lost the capability to think reasonably. They strive only to regain hearts. We… we control them."

"So, if my heart's not strong enough, I could become a mindless machine?"

Zexion nodded his head, avoiding Myde's eyes.

"Do you- Do you know if my heart is strong enough to withstand the change?" Myde asked hesitantly. He was afraid of the answer.

"There is no true way to know if you'll survive until you're changed, but I like to believe that you would survive. You're a wonderful person, Myde, and to think that you wouldn't be able to go through the changes would really surprise me."

Myde nodded, glancing around the guest bedroom- anywhere, so that he wouldn't have to look at Zexion.

"You've lied to me all this time, Zexion. I can't… I can't trust you. I can't believe that I fell in love with something not real. Thank," Myde broke off, feeling tears glisten in his eyes, "Thank you for telling me the truth finally. Now, would you please leave?"

"I… Myde, I can't leave you- not now. Don't you realize what that Heartless signified?! It means that it's coming for you! You won't survive without protection!"

Myde whipped his head around to stare at Zexion. "Like you care! You did your duty, Zexion: you informed me of what was going on, and for that I thank you! Now get out and leave me alone! I don't want to ever see you again!"

"But you'll die without protection!" Zexion cried, protesting Myde's words.

"Zexion, I think I can handle being alone without you in my life. If you're that afraid that the scary Heartless is going to get me, then send one of the other members to watch over me. Send Axel- I'm assuming that he's a part of the group too?"

"Yes, Axel was the last to join. You'd be Number IX if you joined."

"I can say this much, Ien- Zexion. Even if I am turned, I will never join your group."

Myde turned his head, and waited for Zexion to leave, his pleas falling on deaf ears.

Finally, he heard the unmistakable sound of a portal opening- having heard one opening when Xaldin left- and someone walking through and closing it.

He shut his eyes, feeling a tear slipping out.

He turned back around to find an empty bed, twisted sheets, and a plate of untouched food on the nightstand.

Myde felt his heart break, knowing that that would be the last time he ever saw Zexion.

He wondered; if the Heartless were to come now, would they find a strong heart, or a broken, jagged, weak heart?

He hoped that he wouldn't have to find out.

* * *

Zexion stumbled around the corridors of darkness, wishing he had something real to latch onto and drag him along towards his destination.

He finally made his way towards the portal at the end of the corridor, stumbling into Axel's room. For once in his non-existent life, Zexion needed to have someone listen to him, instead of the other way around.

Zexion collapsed onto Axel's bed and buried his face in the blankets there. Even the heat that naturally emanated from the room was a comfort to him, cocooning him in warmth that was slipping him into sleep. His mind shut down, letting him escape the thoughts of Myde and how he had fucked up everything. The last thought that ran through his mind as he shut down was that he should have just told Myde in the beginning.

When Axel opened a portal to his room and gratefully stepped out of it and onto his floor, the one thing he didn't truly expect was to see another person already occupying his bed.

He was even more surprised when he realized that it was Zexion, the only member that he hadn't seen in the last week. He quietly ambled over to the bed, and dropped down on the side, causing the bed to dip towards him. He stared curiously at the lavender/blue-haired boy sleeping in his bed.

"And who is this sleeping in my bed?" he murmured.

Zexion looked exhausted, so Axel deliberated on whether or not it would be a good idea to wake up the man. Still, Zexion had to be sleeping in his room for a reason and Axel really wanted to go to bed himself.

He leaned over and gently shook Zexion awake, hand on Zexion's shoulder.

"Zexion," he quietly called out. "Are you okay?"

Zexion woke up groggily, then looked up to see who was waking him.

"Axel…," he murmured. "He knows everything."

Axel scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "He… knows everything? Who's this 'he'?" Then Axel thought about it a little bit more. "Wait… Myde- Myde knows everything? Is that what you're trying to say?! Good going: finally telling him. I was wondering when you were going to bite the bullet and actually do it. How'd he take it?"

Axel trailed off when he realized that Zexion was shaking his head.

"No, Axel," Zexion rasped out, turning his body around so that he was lying on his stomach and staring up at the ceiling, "I didn't tell Myde. Xaldin did."

"Wait, what? Xaldin told Myde? That makes no sense."

"Axel, I was comatose for a week. Xaldin was probably sent to check up on me or something- I don't know. All I know is that I finally woke up today and found Myde by my bed, telling me that he knew everything and that he wanted answers for his questions. So, I… I told him everything that I knew. Everything that I thought was relevant, I told him."

Axel's head was spinning with the information: too much, too soon. "So, Myde knows, through no doing of yours, and now…?"

"He hates me, Axel. He doesn't trust me and I don't blame him. I wouldn't trust someone if they had lied to me about everything. But, Axel," Zexion shifted suddenly, turning his body and clamping his hand on Axel's wrist, "he knows about the dangers now, and he still won't let me protect him. What am I going to do? I can't let him be turned!"

Axel closed his eyes, turning away from the pleading eyes of his comrade. "Zexion, I wouldn't know what to do, either. Obviously keeping tabs on him from far away wouldn't do any good, because he'll figure out that he's being followed again."

"That's just it, Axel. I can't keep tabs on him; I can't keep him safe. Would you be willing to do that for me?" Zexion asked, hand still tightly wrapped around Axel's wrist.

"If only I could, Zexion, but I can't. I still have my own charge to look after."

Zexion slumped down from his propped position, seeming as though his whole body was deflating.

"Look, I'll try to check up on Myde every now and then. I can't promise much, though. Ludor was a bitch to handle and will probably take up most of my time until he turns. But I'll keep up with Myde on the side."

Zexion sighed, eyes closing in thanks. "Thank you, Axel. You don't have to do much- I don't expect you to watch over him constantly. Just… just keep the Heartless away from him, and try and see that he doesn't get himself hurt in other ways. He's sure to be absent-minded for the next few weeks, and he won't make sure to keep himself in good health."

Axel nodded fervently. "Okay, Zexion. Now… can I have my bed back? You've got your own comfortable one right next door."

Zexion chuckled softly. "Tired yourself, huh, Axel? Yeah, I'll go to my own bed now."

He shifted to the end of the bed, dragging himself off its surface and he stumbled to the door, too tired to summon a portal. It would only drain him of the little strength he had.

Axel watched as Zexion made his way laboriously to the door.

"Hey, Zexion?" he called after him. "You do know that the only thing you can do is to wait, right? Myde will come around eventually. He loves you."

Zexion turned around and stared at Axel, a haunting emptiness in his eyes. "You weren't there, Axel. You didn't see the pain in his eyes. Even if he ever did forgive me, I don't think we'd ever be together. I have to accept that."

"Just… just wait, Zexion. You never know; Myde's a good person. He can't hold a grudge for too long. After all, he did forgive you for being a stalker."

"Yeah, Axel, but he had a reason to forgive me then. Now, he doesn't."

"What reason could be better than that he loves you?"

"The fact that he loves a fake and that the real thing isn't what he believed he was getting."

Zexion closed the door behind softly, and staggered to his own room, and his own room. Axel stayed behind, collapsing onto the soft comforters of his bed. He stared at his ceiling, with its painting of flames licking life-like at the corners and edges of the walls.

Even though he knew that any emotion he was feeling right now was just a pseudo-emotion, Axel couldn't help but wish that things went better for Zexion in the coming weeks. He'd do what he had promised to do, but even he knew that the chances of Myde not becoming a Nobody were slim.

He turned over onto his side, and let sleep carry him away.

In the next room, on a softer bed, with the covers slipped up to his chin, trying to ward the ice that rolled in from Vexen's side of the wall, Zexion lay, trying his hardest to slip back into sleep.

He couldn't, knowing what Myde thought of him.

He wanted so much to wake up and realize that this was all a dream. That it was back to earlier, when he was waking up next to Myde, kissing the man softly and lovingly. That it was back to when they traded kisses for information. That he hadn't lied, and just told Myde everything then. That he had never been caught stalking the poor boy in the first place.

But then, he never would have met Myde.

And, Zexion realized, he didn't regret that at all.

For better or worse, Myde had changed him; changed his life and his outlook on everything.

Zexion was no longer the scientist he had always been. The only thing he wanted to study was Myde.

Now, all he wanted was to be rid of these doubts and these thoughts that he _just wasn't good enough_, and to be back with Myde, in those few short days where their lives had only been about being with each other.

* * *

A/N: I have a feeling ya'll are going to hate me for this chapter. So, I will not ask, nor demand, reviews. However, if you do decide to review, know that they are very much appreciated. I know I take a while to reply, but I do eventually. I'm sorry that I don't reply within 24 hours of recieving the review. I just don't have the time to instantly answer reviews when I get them. That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate them.

Lifes.Lover

**Reviews from Chapter Fifteen: 13loves8loves9loves6, sana-chan9, TheaBlackthorn, Riku-stalker, LiteraryMirage, Sadist-Schemer, Crystal Royale, Lonely Anomaly, thegreatwhitewolf, Twisted Reflection, Lyless and lockesilver, and DearJamie.**


	17. Need

**Disclaimers**: I own a slightly mangled, unintelligble, and downright boring plot. But I don't own any of the characters within said plot, or the game that said characters come from. I do own, however, a brand new KH2 game, and an mp4. Go me.

**A/N**: Alright, I'm back with the latest chapter to HTLAS. You guys happy to see it? Well, I planned on updating this last Friday, 'cuz that was my birthday and I, in a sick, twisted way, wanted reviews as a sort of present for my b-day. However, I didn't get this completely finished until about Sunday, and then my beta had some problems and couldn't finish it until today. But, I'm back with the new chapter, and I gotta admit that I'm somewhat nervous about this chapter. However, I hope you like it.

Also, I have a poll to do with this story (and the next chapter) so I ask that you go and take it if you have an account here and are reading this. Believe me, it's important.

I have a livejournal, which you can find a link to from my profile, and feel free to add me as a friend, though you don't have to if you want to see my journals. They're completely open and you're able to comment if you don't have a livejournal. Also, I do AMV's, and that takes some of my time away from writing, too.

**Warning**: Um... nothing, really, in this chapter, except Axel. He deserves a warning all of his own.

This was beta-ed by the lovely **kate avalanche**. Go say thanks to her.

**READ THIS**: **Terra hotaru** wrote me a wonderful fic for my birthday. It's Zemyx, and it's lovely, and I love it to death already, even though it's only two chapters in. However, it's not getting the attention it deserves. She doesn't have very many reviews for it, which makes me very sad. Do a great thing, and go read it. I swear you won't be disappointed. Zexion isn't emo, which is a godsend to me!!

* * *

_**Chapter Seventeen: Need**_

The cup of hot liquid slid across the kitchen table, and Zexion's hands instinctively clutched at it and stopped its forward motion.

He clenched his hands around the mug, but made no move to sip at it.

Axel, who had slid the mug to Zexion, sighed.

Zexion had been in this vaguely catatonic state for the last four days, eyes open but unseeing. None of the other members approached him. He wasn't really responsive.

To be truthful, Axel was getting very tired. It was like Zexion had become his charge, too.

"Zexion, you have to eat or drink something," Axel murmured, leaning into the table, searching for any sign of recognition in Zexion's eyes.

Zexion only blinked, slightly shaking his head. Axel relaxed at the reaction, sighing happily. At least the movement of his head had been more response than Zexion had given Axel before. Axel hoped that this was a good sign.

"Zexion," Axel sighed, again, fingers coming up to rub at his eyes, "you have to eat. You're going to fade away if you don't."

"And I should care?" Zexion murmured.

Axel paused, surprised at Zexion's sudden willingness to speak. "Well, I suppose not, but if you fade away, who'll be here for Myde?" he ventured, trying to get Zexion to see reason.

Zexion blinked, but said nothing.

Axel collapsed in the chair next to him. "Zexion, I'm a Nobody- I really shouldn't care if you eat or not, but… I'm thinking about Myde here. You know that, even if he is angry with you, he loves you. What do you think would happen to him if you faded? He'd be devastated."

Not a word was said and Axel gave up, dropping his head in his hands. He wanted to sleep, but didn't think it would be prudent to fall asleep on the kitchen table.

"I was so stupid, Axel," Zexion abruptly spoke.

Axel's head jerked up. The crack it made could be heard reverberating around the room, and he winced. Zexion didn't react to it.

Axel rubbed his neck. "What were you so stupid about, Zexion?"

Zexion scoffed. "Everything. Being caught by Myde was just the beginning of my stupidity- at least for this year. I never should have stayed once he caught me- but I was being polite, and look where it's gotten me?"

Axel shrugged.

"Look at me, Axel- I'm in sweats. I haven't been on any type of mission in days, and everyone in the organization is avoiding me. Myde's… he's messed me up, made me remember the feelings I used to have. And now I can't stop feeling. And for the first time since I was turned, I wish that I were a true Nobody.

"Do you know that Myde's in true danger? I never told you," Zexion whispered, ducking his chin into his neck.

"Told me what?" Axel asked, leaning forward.

"I saw a Heartless outside his home. That's what partly caused my coma. And I never told you about the dreams I had while in that state."

"Dreams? None of us dream, Zexion."

"I know that," Zexion snapped. "Of course I know that! But dream I did- or rather, I had this nightmare."

Axel cocked his head. "A nightmare that lasted a whole week?" he asked, skeptical.

Zexion shrugged. "I don't know- it could have started at any time during my catatonic state. I wouldn't know."

"What was it about?"

"I dreamed that I was falling, and then I stopped. I was in this dark place, but I could hear something around me," Zexion began. "Then I felt this beating in my chest, but I didn't know what it was. So I tore it out-"

"Wait, what? You tore it out? Tore it out of your chest? How is that possible?"

Zexion shook his head. "I don't know. It was like my skin was made of paper, almost. It tore easily, although I could feel the pain as I continued on."

"What was it?"

Zexion slowly titled his head up. "It was a heart."

Axel nodded. "You tore out… a heart?"

"I didn't know it was a heart. The beating was… foreign. You have to understand, Axel- I've been a Nobody for a much longer time than you have. Why… I've near forgotten what having one would feel like."

"So what happened after you… did this?"

Zexion hummed, finally taking a sip from the mug in his hands, not that he registered the taste of the chocolate.

"I was transferred to this hall in the castle, and there was Myde in front of me. But, it wasn't Myde. It was someone else, someone who didn't pretend to be Myde in the beginning, but then did later on. And… it wanted me to keep sleeping.

"It said that it had given its heart to me, and that this was how I treated it? It was angry, and then it was soothing, trying to get me to go to sleep."

"That's a pretty bad dream," Axel commented, sipping on his coffee.

Zexion snorted, eyes slightly glazing over. "It wasn't a dream, Axel. I think… I think my sub-conscious was trying to tell me something."

"Your sub-conscious, Zexion?" asked Axel, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Axel, have you ever done research on areas of the brain? Have you ever learned anything dealing with the part of the brain that triggers dreams?" Zexion asked.

Axel shrugged. "Can't say as I have."

"Well, I can't say the same. I've done a lot of research on the brain- probably not as much as Vexen, granted, but a lot to some."

Axel nodded. "Cool. Yeah, really cool."

"You couldn't care less, but I suppose that's not the point," murmured the blue-haired Nobody.

"Alright then- enlighten me. What's so great about dreams?"

Zexion sighed. "People dream: each and every night. It doesn't have to be a continuous dream that lasts throughout the night and, in fact, it often doesn't last the entire sleep cycle. It's intermittent. But the point is that every single person dreams and they dream every single night. For the most part, they won't remember what it was that they dreamed about. Sometimes, they do, and sometimes they wished they hadn't.

"But if they didn't dream, they would go crazy. It's like, while we sleep, and our body rests, our brain is at full power, sifting through everything that we did that day, getting rid of what we don't need to remember, and filing away everything else. And this leads to dreams. There's so much about the brain that we don't know- so much to learn. There are iffy parts of science- these parts border the practical and logical side of science and the psychological and skeptical side of science.

"Dreams are one of those iffy parts of science. There are some that say that dreams are our sub-conscious telling us something. Depending on what the dream is, we can figure out what exactly your sub-conscious is trying to tell you. It's all very circumstantial."

"So… what do you think your sub-conscious was trying to tell you?"

Zexion raised his head. "I'd been wrestling with telling Myde the truth since I first got caught. And I never did, because I was weak, and I was thinking only of myself. I was thinking about the fact that if I failed the mission, then I would be turned into a Dusk, and then I was thinking about the fact that Myde was fascinating and that all I wanted to do was watch him and observe the way he acted- because he is a Somebody, and is a smart Somebody at that.

"I only ever thought of myself. How selfish can one person be?" he asked, staring into Axel's eyes.

"We're, by nature, selfish people, Zexion- we have no heart to feel guilty over our actions. We have no emotions."

Zexion started to rapidly shake his head. "No, no, no, no, no, no- that's not how it works, Axel, and you know it. Even without a heart, we still feel, simply because we remember how to feel. That's what makes us special, and unique, Axel. That's what separates us from the lower Nobodies. I was being selfish because, even after I realized that Myde loved me and that I was coming as close as possible to loving him as I could, I couldn't tell him goodbye. I couldn't say no and I couldn't… I couldn't let him go.

"That would have been the smart thing to do. And I'm a smart person. But on this… I was dumb. I was thinking with a heart that I didn't have. Axel, what have I done?"

"Zexion," Axel started, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "you did what any human would do. Do you honestly think that Myde regrets what happened between the two of you? Do you think that he wasn't being selfish, either? By nature, all humans are selfish- it's a part of our makeup. Myde wanted to be with you, and so he stayed with you. Don't be a martyr, Zexion, and put all of the blame on yourself."

"See that's part of what I think my dream was trying to tell me," Zexion suddenly said. "The Myde in there was angry and mean and cruel. And then it showed the side of Myde that I knew- the side that I had come to love. Was it trying to tell me that Myde had his bad sides, in addition to his wonderful sides?

"See, that's what makes dream-telling such an arbitrary and wishy-washy part of science. There is so much that could be explained as something else."

"What else was your dream trying to tell you, in your opinion?" Axel scooted his chair back slightly, leaning on his hands behind his head.

"I don't know. My ripping out the heart that Myde had given me, the inability to summon my weapon, Myde… it was all such a blur and the fact that I'm able to remember anything at all is astounding. But you want to know what really seems ironic; I woke up with the dream/nightmare still fresh in my mind and I knew that I had to tell Myde immediately what was going on. But… he already knew and I realized that I had waited for too long. I should have followed your advice immediately, Axel."

Axel started. "Wait, what was that? Was that you… agreeing with something I told you?! Oh, wow, now that's not something I hear very often." Axel smirked. "Come on, say it again; boost my ego a little bit more." He gestured to Zexion. "Come on, Pretty Boy, let me hear it."

Zexion rolled his eyes. "You're very mature, Axel; incredibly mature."

Axel grinned. "Why thank you. That's such a nice compliment from someone like you."

"Either way, I didn't take your advice and now… I've lost Myde. He has no reason to come back to me and I can't blame him in the first place. I should have told him immediately, and made sure that none of this ever happened. He didn't deserve it." Zexion paused. "I probably broke his heart."

"He seems to be doing well, Zexion. Well, as well as anyone could be when faced with something like this. He's been dealt a terrible blow, after all," Axel commented.

Zexion nodded. "Of course he has. Not only was his boyfriend lying to him about everything, but now he finds that he's going to die at any time. No wonder he wanted me to go. But I… miss him."

"You only think you miss him, Zexion. You remember the feeling and you're putting it here. We're fundamentally still Nobodies, Zex, you gotta remember that."

Zexion nodded again, taking a sip of his drink. "What's he been doing since I last saw him?"

"Same old, same old. He's been holding up. His mother is helping him, though she has no clue what's going on. He's been… trying to get through the days, I suppose. You can hear him cry at night."

Zexion's breath shuddered in and out. "I guess I'll have to live with that, then."

* * *

He'd been going to school.

It was a unanimous decision between him and his parents that he'd go back to school.

He needed the familiarity that school provided him, without the memories of Zexion tied in them.

Besides, it was his last year at school. If he didn't go, he wouldn't be able to graduate. And now that there was this proverbial noose around his neck, tightening with each day towards his imminent death, Myde wanted to be normal and graduate. He wanted to be a normal 18 year old; one whose only worry was what rank they'd graduate in, what they'd look like in their cap and gown, dealing with the college applications and acceptances.

Myde wanted it all, now that he knew the chances of getting it were truly elusive. It was incredibly funny, to him at least, how he didn't know what he even had until he knew it could go away so quickly.

So Myde went to school. He never smiled- not because he was unhappy to be back, like all of the kids in his school thought but because he didn't have his Ienzo.

He missed that blue-haired man so much and he wished that he could forgive Zexion for everything.

But that was the whole point of everything. Zexion wasn't his Ienzo. The man he'd fallen in love with… didn't exist. And that hurt Myde more than anything else ever could. He could probably have forgiven Zexion eventually… but the lying? Myde's feet had been swept out from under him and he was having a hard time scrambling back up on them.

He spent the days with a shadow on his shoulder, wondering if it would be his last. He would constantly check over his shoulder, trying to find any hint of this Heartless thing that Zexion had warned him about.

Myde didn't want to die. He didn't want to become an automaton. He didn't want to lose his heart and he didn't want to become an unfeeling non-existent being. So he was constantly on guard, wondering if this would be the last day.

Being in school helped, though.

There he was able to be around others. He was able to keep his mind off of Ien-Zexion's betrayal and lies. He buried his head in the work that just seemed to pile on, preparing for his graduation.

But in his heart, Myde feared that it was all for nothing. That he wasn't going to live to see his graduation, and that his life would all be over very soon. And in his heart, Myde knew that this was wrong. Teenagers his age didn't fear anything. They felt that they were invincible: incapable of dying simply because they were young. Myde wanted to go back to this cocky self-assuredness.

Still, he knew that he couldn't, because what Xaldin and Zexion had said rang true in his mind, and he knew that his days were numbered.

He was just wondering when the hourglass would fill up, and his time would be over.

At this moment, Myde sat in his calculus class, taking meticulous notes, making sure that everything was neat and in place, not a single pencil mark marring the surface of his paper. It wasn't really his normal behavior, but Myde wasn't really there, to be truthful.

He was present enough to take notes, but not really enough to actually retain anything. He was, basically, going through the motions. There was just too much on his mind to really pay any attention.

In fact, he was so far away that he was surprised when the bell rang, not believing that the hour was already over. He began to methodically put away his notes and pencils, his books and binders.

He made his way to lunch, slipping into a seat at an empty table, getting back to working. A girl dropped into the seat across from him and smiled.

"Hey, Myde," she greeted, giving a small wave. Myde raised his head and smiled back at her. Tight-lipped though it was, it seemed to satisfy her, and, as she took out her own books, he went back to work.

The only good thing that seemed to come from the recent events was the addition of friends. Anna, the girl who had sat down with him, had noticed that he wasn't in school for a week and that before that he had been very distant, so she had gone up to him and befriended him.

The more time she spent with him, the more she came to realize that Myde wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be. He wasn't overly emotional, or hyper, or obsessed with music. He was a good person- one who was a tad too focused on school work, but that was easily explained with graduation coming up so quickly. Teachers were piling on work, in hopes of keeping the kids working these last few weeks. She wondered sometimes why she hadn't tried to befriend him before.

He was actually a joy to be around.

She smiled at the head of light blond locks bent over his books, wondering what was going through his mind. She had a bit of a crush on him, but she knew that it wasn't going to go anywhere. Myde had been upfront about being gay, and being taken, so she knew that the two of them were never going to happen.

That brought a thought to her head. She decided to voice it. "Myde, how come you never talk about your boyfriend?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in puzzlement.

The head she was talking to stiffened, and the pencil scratching across paper stopped. Slowly, Myde raised his head, turning his blue-green eyes to her. "There isn't much to say," he murmured.

Anna knit her eyebrows in confusion. "Not much to say? He's your boyfriend. There should be plenty to say."

Myde shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with this topic. "We… had a fight, I guess you could say. It turned out he was lying to me about some pretty big things, and I got really angry. I think it's over, actually. I just… I kinda don't want to let go, yet, you know? He thinks it's over, and I know that he doesn't want it to be, but I just don't… he lied to me. How do you get over something like that?"

Anna stared at the suddenly angry and hurt eyes, shocked over what was said. Now she wished she hadn't brought the topic up. It was obviously a sore subject with Myde. "I don't know, Myde. Have you talked to him since then? Gotten his side of things?"

Myde nodded. "That's what gets me so confused. He told me exactly why he lied and I… I understand, somewhat, why he did it. But that doesn't excuse what he did. It doesn't excuse the fact that he lied or that he hurt me. I just don't know what to do. I'm half-tempted to call it off, but I love the guy."

Anna nodded. "You're scared. What he did was wrong, but if he had a justified reason for lying, then shouldn't you try to forgive him for lying? If you love him as much as you say you do, then try and work through this. Nothing worthwhile in life comes without work and pain."

"When'd you get so wise?" Myde snickered.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I think it's a natural instinct with women. We're just so great like that."

Myde full out laugh and Anna grinned, liking his laugh. She'd never heard it like that.

"Was I of any help?" she asked when Myde finished laughing.

Myde wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes and shrugged. "I don't know. I still don't think I'm ready to forgive him, but I'm just so confused. I want to forgive him, but right now I can't get over what he did. It really hurt. This lie… was a pretty big lie. It's really important, and just about changed everything in our relationship."

"Forgive him when you're ready, Myde, and only then. Otherwise, you'll always resent him, and that's not doing either of you a favor."

Myde grinned. "Thanks for listening, Anna. I bet that wasn't what you were expecting when you asked about my love life, huh?"

Anna shook her head, smirking. "Nope, not really. I expected you to melt into a pile of goo and go spastic about him, just like all of my other girlfriends do."

Myde gasped, a hand flying to his mouth. "You're equating me to one of your girlfriends?! I'm horrified! Just 'cause I'm gay doesn't mean that I'm effeminate."

Anna laughed, head swinging back. Myde just stared, smile still gracing his face.

"Oh, I needed that," she finally said. "You're probably the most feminine man I've ever met, Myde, and you know it. That's not a bad thing. It's every girls dream to have a gay guy friend. They're the best at getting into a guy's head."

Myde rolled his eyes.

"You know," he started, "I don't think I've ever joked like this with someone before."

"Then that's good," Anna remarked. "Glad to be of service."

Myde just shook his head, going back to his work, a smile still on his face. He was glad he'd had this talk with her.

Later, on his way home, backpack on his shoulders, and the silly grin still glued to his face, he began to mull over what she'd said.

Zexion's lies had hurt so much. There was a lot that Myde had to think over. It wasn't as simple as Anna made it out to be. This was a matter of life and death. Anna would have thought that was overly dramatic, but she didn't know that he would have been speaking the absolute truth.

Myde's life could be over at any time, and he had no idea when that time would be. She just wouldn't understand. She had no inkling of what Nobodies were, and even if he told her, she wouldn't believe him. He would have had trouble believing it to, if not for the irrefutable proof given to him.

But even with everything that had happened, Myde had to face the truth right at the heart.

He missed Zexion.

Though the man had lied to him about everything from his life to his name, Myde still missed the man. He wanted Zexion back in his life. Surely not everything about him was a lie. Surely there was something about the man that Myde had been able to see through the lies. He refused to believe that everything was a fabrication and that he had fallen in love with something not real. He refused to believe that he loved a lie.

There had to have been something beneath the surface that Myde had loved.

Myde came to his house, entering and dropping his backpack immediately. He then made his way through the kitchen and out to the backyard, standing over the spot where he'd found Zexion all those weeks ago, unconscious and cold to the touch.

He sat down, and placed his elbows on his knees, holding his head in his hands.

He just didn't know what to do.

He wanted so much to forgive Zexion, but Anna was right in saying that he was afraid. This had changed their relationship, and while Myde was thankful that they were no longer living a lie, he couldn't help but wonder if things would have been better off staying as they were.

He wanted Zexion back so badly.

He wondered if forgiving Zexion would be the best thing to do; if forgiving him would solve their problems.

And even if it didn't, they still had to deal with the tiny little fact that Myde was slated to become a Nobody. Did Zexion want him to become a Nobody? If Zexion could feel, then how was he able to love Myde? Was that just a lie, too? Was it all just a hoax- an attempt to make Myde more susceptible to the darkness?

As he lay there, Myde never heard the rustle behind him, too engrossed in his thoughts to take note of it.

He did, however, hear as a whoosh sounded through his yard and he was surrounded by a circle of flames, soaring high above him and around him, crackling merrily.

And he stared warily at the shadow slowly coming towards him.

* * *

It was all well and true that Axel wasn't angry.

He couldn't feel anger, so of course he couldn't feel angry. Therefore, Axel wasn't angry.

However, Axel was decidedly tired.

Due to the aforementioned 'I'm a Nobody, and therefore cannot feel' state that Axel resided in, Axel was truly wondering why he was helping Zexion and Myde.

It wasn't as though he actually cared about either one of them. He didn't have a conscience, or any actual nice feelings towards them. There was no reason for him to pretend to care about the two lovers.

And the fact that he was helping them anyway, non-feelings be damned, was making him tired.

Because he really couldn't feel angry.

But he could feel tired.

Because watching Zexion slip in and out of a comatose state for the past week, having to babysit him, Zexion's charge, and his own charge, was tiring.

And strangely frustrating.

Apparently, he could pretend to be really frustrated.

And that's the only reason for why he was doing this, he told himself, because being tired was a good enough reason to finally try and get those two back together. Because, apparently, his sanity was at stake, and, apparently, the only way to get it back was to get the two of them back together.

He didn't want to have to deal with a depressed Zexion anymore and he definitely didn't want to deal with watching over Myde at the same time.

That's the only thing he would let himself believe.

So, Axel just about snapped while having to watch Myde, and he decided that _enough_ was fucking _**enough**_!

And, okay, he really liked fire, and having a ring of fire erupt out of absolutely nothing was really fun to watch.

Watching it circle around Myde, and watching the Somebody scramble up and look wildly around him at the circle/wall thingy of fire was also strangely satisfying.

Myde was absolutely terrified, especially when Axel decided to make his entrance, slowly walking through the curtain of fire as though it made no dent on his body. And of course it didn't, because Axel's element was fire, and the fire danced for him. It heeded his call, called out to him, whispering '_master'_ to him, and it was all very pleasing to this worn out Nobody.

Axel liked dramatic entrances, so he walked slowly through the fire, enjoying the rush of heady need he felt as he made his way through it, and he finally stepped out into the inner circle on the opposite side from Myde.

And he would have been annoyed because Myde only breathed a sigh of relief once seeing that the one walking towards him was only Axel, and not something come to tear his heart out and eat it in front of him, but Axel couldn't _fucking_ **feel**, so he couldn't be annoyed. Stupid Nobody characteristics.

"Oh, Axel, it's just you. So, I'm guessing that fire is your… special power?" Myde asked, taking a few steps closer to Axel.

Axel crossed his arms, deciding that point blank staring was the best thing right now. How he wished he could have an actual temper that matched his fiery power.

"Axel…?" Myde called out again.

"Four days, Myde," Axel yelled at him. "Four days of dealing with the mess that is Number VI, four days of headaches while watching you, and four days of watching my own charge."

Myde just stared, confused.

Axel's pseudo-temper flared, sending the columns of fire even higher. "FOUR DAYS, MYDE! It's more than any Nobody should have to deal with."

Myde backed up, deciding that staying silent was probably prudent.

"Myde, I can't feel. I could very easily kill you right now, because I wouldn't care about the guilty feelings I would have later on because those guilty feelings won't exist. So, the only thing stopping me from extinguishing your ass is the fact that Zexion will become even more depressing and that I just can't handle."

Axel examined his fingers, looking down to study them. "Now, I've been watching you from afar for the last four days to keep Zexion happy, because for some reason Zexion believes he can feel, and whom am I to deny what he thinks he feels? But I'm tired of watching you, Myde, because I have my own things to do and watching you is not included in those plans."

"You don't have to-." Myde began but was quickly interrupted by another fiery wall erupting.

"I KNOW I don't have to, you idiotic man," Axel roared. "However, I'm trying to do something for another member of the Organization, because I'm the only one who understands anything that's going on and for some reason, I felt like helping Zexion out.

"Well, those nice feelings are gone, because now I want to be annoyed, and I can't be. I'm tired, Myde, very, very tired. I want to sleep- in my bed. I want to stop watching you, and I can't do that. And do you know why I can't do that, Myde?" Axel asked.

Myde's heart was pumping quickly with adrenaline and fear. It was probably a good idea to answer, because this question didn't look rhetorical. Axel looked like he was waiting for an answer. "Because of… Zexion?" he answered, sounding entirely uncertain.

Axel smiled. "You're not that dumb, apparently. Good answer, Myde. I can't stop watching you because of Zexion."

"What are you trying to do, Axel- scare me to death?"

Axel paused. "While that would probably be hilarious, there's no real point to it, and I've already said that I'm not going to kill you. Never fear, Myde, you're safe… at least from me."

"Then what are you trying to do, Axel?"

Axel cocked his head. He looked at Myde, with a baffled expression on his face. "And Zexion likes you?" he asked as he sat down. "I should think it was obvious. Apparently, you're not as smart as I thought you were. Are you sure you were able to figure out that Zexion was stalking you?"

Myde glared, angered with Axel. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you calling me stupid?"

"No, I'm calling you obtuse," Axel reprimanded. "You should know by now why I'm here."

"Well, I don't, so just come out and tell me!"

Axel smirked. "I don't think I will. I'm going to hint to you at what I'm doing here, because I want to feel amused, because I'm bored, and I'm tired. And you know why I'm tired."

"You're the one that's tired, and yet you want to play a game with me? Axel, are you nuts?! And do you honestly expect that none of my neighbors will see this fire?!" Myde complained, whining slightly. "Plus, it's really hot!"

Axel rolled his eyes. "I'm not letting it go, Myde, because that will give you a chance to run away. That I just don't want to happen. You're going to figure this out. Besides, no one can see the fire."

"Figure out what- that you're absolutely insane?! Let me out of this, now!" Myde interjected, running over to Axel, dropping in front of the bored-looking man.

"Alright, Myde, first hint," Axel said, waving a hand in an attempt to wave away Myde's complaining. "There is a recurring pattern to what I'm saying. What is it?"

Myde sighed vehemently, dropping onto his butt from his knees. "I don't know, Axel. You being tired? Zexion? You being upset? I could keep going on."

"Well, there is only one answer, so think about it."

Myde scoffed, upset now. "I suppose it has to do with Zexion, then, huh?"

"I suppose you're not that dumb, Myde," Axel answered, smile pulling at his lips.

"Okay, so the recurring pattern is Zexion." Then Myde paused. "Oh, God, no; please tell me you're not here to persuade me to forgive Zexion and his deception," he moaned.

"Okay, then I won't," Axel said. "However, no, I'm not here to persuade you to forgive Zexion. I don't give a rat's ass if you forgive Zexion."

Myde stared bewilderedly at Axel. "What? Then what are you here for?"

Axel smiled. "Hint number two coming up; what have I said that I'm tired most of?" he asked, small smile still playing at his lips.

Myde whacked himself on the head, feeling sweat bead on his body, running down everywhere. "Having to watch me, Zexion, and your charge?" he asked, answering the question.

"Very good, Myde, you're catching on quickly."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Myde asked desperately, wishing that he could go inside his air-conditioned house.

"Hint number three- you only get four, Myde, so listen up closely; Being that I am a Nobody, it's obvious that I don't care about you or Zexion. The only thing I want is to not be tired anymore. Now, think carefully: how would I be able to get more sleep?"

Myde shook his head, irritated with the infuriating man and his stupid game. "Obviously, if you didn't have to watch any of us," he said.

Axel nodded, examining his nails. "Here's your last one; what do you think would be the best option for getting rid of these duties?"

"I thought you said that you weren't trying to persuade me to forgive Zexion?" Myde asked, somewhat catching on to what Axel was saying.

"And you're right: I don't care if you forgive him. However, I'm tired of dealing with watching you and dealing with babying Zexion. So, I'm not going to _persuade_ you to do anything; I'm making you."

"Excuse me?!" Myde asked, affronted and annoyed. "You can't make me do anything!" he went on.

Axel raised an eyebrow. "You think I can't? Realize, dear Myde, who exactly has power over who; who exactly has the ability to kill who. And I'll tell you right now that that person is not you. I can make you do anything. So, alright," Axel said, "that I can't make you forgive him. I can, however, make you talk to him."

"I don't have to talk to him! He lied to me! He led me to believe something that was a complete and utter lie, and didn't have the guts to tell me himself!" Myde said, angered.

"Do I look like I care?" Axel asked, completely bored. "You and Zexion are not my problem, and I shouldn't have to care for either of you. I do it out of the kindness of my… well, not heart, but you understand what I mean," he muttered.

Myde looked pained, about ready to cry. "What do you want from me, Axel?" he asked, sounding completely exhausted.

"I don't care if you forgive Zexion, because, personally, I don't think what Zexion did was all that bad. In the beginning, he merely did it to save his mission, and then he did it to save you. If you could hear the way he talks about you- the way he thinks about you." Axel paused. "It's absolutely nauseating, to tell the truth." Axel paused again. "But that's not the point. The point is that I just want Zexion to stop moping. And the only way that he's going to stop is if the two of you have some closure.

"I'm not asking you to forgive him, and I'm most definitely not asking for the two of you to make up and 'get back together'," he said in quotation marks. "I'm merely asking you two to talk to each other: to get the weight of what happened off of his chest, and, if I'm not mistaken, yours, too. I hate having to watch over him and I hate having to watch over you. Wouldn't you rather do this while you still can?" he said, ending his diatribe.

Myde paused before making his quick comeback, deciding to think it over.

Axel merely waited, knowing that Myde would see reason within his argument.

Axel was right, Myde knew that. There was no point in thinking that Axel wasn't right. Myde knew that he wouldn't be able to keep his conscience clear if he let Zexion mope around, knowing that he was, in fact, being oppressively depressing.

What would the harm of talking to Zexion be, anyway? It would do them both well if they could clear the air. Myde made no assumptions that he was in anyway going to go back to Zexion. Zexion had hurt him with his lies, and his unwillingness to tell the truth in the first place. That was no way to make a relationship work.

But Myde was so scared.

Zexion was the man that he loved. Myde was not stupid, and he knew that seeing Zexion again would hurt a lot. He didn't want to hurt anymore.

A tear squeezed out from his closed eyes. Why did he have to make this decision now, with the fire roaring around them, and snapping at the ground, the heat closing in on him, suffocating him? Why did he have to make this decision right after talking to Anna- right after deciding that it might be in his best interest to think more about what Zexion had done?

But there was no getting around it. Axel was strangely persuasive, even though he wasn't trying to persuade Myde, not really.

He knew that he didn't really have a choice.

Myde snapped his eyes open, catching sight of Axel staring complacently at the ground, waiting for Myde's approval.

"Alright, Axel. I suppose there's no getting around this, then, huh?" he said, garnering Axel's attention.

Axel looked up. "No, not really," he remarked amusedly, standing up and dusting off his cloak, opening a portal right beside them.

Myde stared at him evenly, before walking without fear into the dark blue portal. Axel smiled, following after him, letting the flames behind him die down slowly.

Now he had to go through with his decision.

* * *

A/N: So, what'd ya'll think?

Seriously, if you like Zemyx (humorous Zemyx, which is what I like) then go and read **terra hotaru**'s story. It's called **Highly Allergic to You**. You can find a link to it through my profile. Review to make her happy? She's insecure about her writing. Also, I wrote an AkuRoku oneshot, called **Cherry Lips**, which features a crossdresser!Roxas. It was written for **terra hotaru**'s birthday, which was two days before mine. :D

Review if you'd like.

I swear, I will get to all of the reviews. I'm just really busy, I'm sorry.

**Reviews from Chapter Sixteen: purewhiteshadow, Moogles With Flamethrowers, 13loves8loves9loves6, DearJamie, thegreatwhitewolf, LiteraryMirage, Lipgloss-x-lies, Lonely Anomaly, Riku-stalker, Lyless and lockesilver, Unmei-Kibou, Sadist-Schemer, sana-chan9, TheaBlackthorn, Erethil, Mizu Hoseki, ZemyxFangirl, youkai chick supreme, and Deatheart **


	18. Do You Trust Me?

**Disclaimer: **I should totally try and make money off of this writing. I mean, I'd make a killing, right?! There are just so many people that would buy this! Too bad that's illegal.

**A/N:** Wow, now how long has it been? October, right? Well, a lot has happened since there. Happy Year of the Demyx, every one! HTLAS has since hit its first birthday, and I'm truly sorry that I couldn't update then in time for its birthday. That really did sadden me. BLP also saw its first birthday, this month, in fact. I'm still no closer to updating that, though. I feel as though I have truly failed where that story is concerned.

**READ THIS: **Now, a little tidbit about this chapter. This chapter is the entire reason for the M rating. If you do not wish to read anything that really shouldn't be seen by eyes younger than at least 16, than I suggest you stop reading after the second line break. You'll be glad you did. However, I like to think that the way I took this is a little different. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I've been thinking about this chapter for a long time.

Also, thanks to **katie avalanche** for beta-ing this. She deserves a whole mountain and a half of cookies. Also, I wish to thank **terra hotaru**, who helped calm me with the last scene. She has experience writing this sort of thing, and was a real godsend. Thank you so much, sweetie. I love ya.

Thanks to everyone who sent me PMs after the disaster that happened with my computer. I'm pretty sure that I replied to all of them, but if I haven't, please tell me.

* * *

_**Chapter Eighteen: Do You Trust Me?**_

Myde walked apprehensively through the circle of darkness, jumping away at the tendrils of black that seemed to reach out for him.

Axel came up behind him, smirk pasted on his face. "Don't stop moving, Myde, or you'll be losing your heart sooner than you'd like," he remarked, pushing past the other man, stepping out of the ring and into a corridor of blue, tapering off into a light sunset color.

Myde looked around, fascinated, though he continued to move around, hating every second that he was there.

He wasn't stupid; he could tell that this wasn't a place that someone with a heart should be. He needed to get out.

"Should I trust you, Axel?" he called out to the back of the tall man, who was walking rapidly away towards another portal across the corridor.

Axel paused, turning his body slightly to look behind him. He smiled softly. "I'm a Nobody, Myde. This there in should tell you not to trust me. However, I have no reason to kill you, so for now you'll be fine. I don't see the profit of leaving you in here to fester for all eternity."

Myde curled his lip. "I suppose that's a good thing."

Axel smirked. "Sorry if I seem a little different from before- I'm really tired, and my pseudo-emotions are slipping as a result. Don't worry so much, Myde, I'm not going to kill you." He rolled his eyes, turning back around and motioning with one hand to Myde to get him moving.

Myde followed, albeit reluctantly.

Soon enough, the two were by the portal at the end of the corridor, both just staring off into its depths.

"Well," Axel started, "this is where I leave you."

Myde started. "What do you mean?!"

"It means that you go through that portal and sort out your problems with Zexion on the other side. I've got other things to do than baby step you all the way through it," Axel huffed.

Myde stared into the roiling black abyss, before steeling his nerves and moving forward and through it, deciding to not spare a glance backwards at Axel.

Going through the second portal was just as bad as the first. It was here and now that Myde decided that he hated the dark portals, with the blue-black roiling wisps moving and caressing over his body, flitting over him. Myde shuddered at the clammy cold feeling.

Soon enough though, he was on the other side, staring around at the room he was in with fascination. And there, on a cushy looking bed, lay Zexion, who appeared to be sleeping, the sounds of the portal not having disturbed him.

Myde sighed, looking the man over hungrily. He had to admit that he was glad to be seeing Zexion again, though the blue-haired man looked none too healthy.

His skin looked paper thin, and slightly yellow, and it seemed to hang off his bones delicately. The two-and-a-half weeks of eating only minimally had taken its toll on him. Myde sighed.

"Is he physically incapable of taking care of himself without me around?" he murmured, walking up and taking a seat on the bed next to Zexion.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked, reaching out and brushing a lock of hair out of Zexion's face, revealing the other side so often unseen by everyone.

He sighed, removing his hand, letting it whisper softly across Zexion's cheek before lifting it away.

"I really do love you, you know that, right?" he said, leaning in close. "But how can I forgive you? Everything's in such turmoil, I guess you could say," Myde chuckled slightly, "but I can't just… I can't forgive you without really understanding why."

Zexion didn't respond, too asleep to hear Myde's softly uttered words.

Myde backed away slightly. "Maybe Axel's right," he muttered, heaving up off the bed. He crossed the room, staying away from the chill on the left side, and gravitating to the warmth on the other side.

From the wall there, he surveyed his surroundings, taking in the bed and desk, the bookshelves and squashy armchairs next to a small fire. The room had to be big to be able to house all of the furniture within, but it didn't look like it was. Myde crossed the room, dragging his hand on the spine of the books he passed, making his way to the armchairs.

Picking up a book from the stack next to the armchair, Myde settled in and began to read, waiting for Zexion to wake up.

* * *

It was several hours later when Zexion began to stir, twisting his body onto its side, murmuring gently into the pillow beneath him.

Myde immediately jerked his head up, closing the book with a snap, standing from the armchair and making his way to Zexion's bed.

"Zexion," he whispered, leaning down and coming close to Zexion's face. "Are you awake?"

"Ngh," Zexion muttered roughly, hands bunching into fists and clutching at his sheets.

Myde smiled briefly. "Zexion," he murmured in a sing-song voice. "Wake up, Zexion."

"Go 'way, Myde," Zexion rasped, turning onto his other side. Then he paused, and Myde's smile grew.

With a whiplash like effect, Zexion's body shot up, head turning in surprise to Myde.

"Myde…?" he whispered, unwilling to believe that Myde was truly there. It was obviously an apparition, because there was no way that Myde was in the World That Never Was.

He squinted, hands coming up to rub at his eyes. He was obviously still dreaming.

"Glad to see you awake," Myde said. Then, he frowned. "But, we've got to talk."

Zexion's eyes widened in surprise, and he gently took Myde's hand, rubbing his thumb up and down the smooth skin of the palm.

"You're… real?"

Myde smirked. "As real as it gets," he commented.

Zexion paused, and then withdrew his hand. "A lot more real than I am, that's for sure," he whispered, cradling the hand to his chest, feeling the burn from where Myde's skin had brushed his.

Myde frowned, and then climbed onto the bed. "We gotta talk, Zexion."

Zexion slowly raised his eyes up to Myde's level. "How'd you get here?" he asked quietly.

"Axel brought me," Myde answered, shrugging lightly. "Took me into this hallway or something and we had to walk this really long way. There were these tendrils trying to grasp at me, trying to slide into my skin, practically." He shuddered.

"Those are called the corridors of darkness. You should not have been brought through there- it could have weakened your heart."

Myde nodded, and then shrugged. "I suppose it was worth it," he whispered. "We need to clear the air, Zexion."

Zexion's hands twisted in his lap, and he nodded quietly, biting his lip. "You're right; of course we need to talk."

An awkward silence settled over the two, Zexion's eyes gazing down at his clasped hands, and Myde's gazing down at Zexion's lowered head.

Myde closed his eyes, leaning back slightly, holding his head up to the ceiling.

"I suppose you won't make the first move, then?" he whispered.

Zexion's eyes pressed shut, and he wished with everything in him that he could cry. That his eyes weren't dry and that they weren't burning with the need to cry and that the inability to do so didn't hurt.

"I could tell you that I'm sorry 'til I turned blue in the face. I could tell you I'm sorry for the rest of my non-existent life. I could tell you I'm sorry every second of every minute of every day. But it won't make much of a difference, will it?" Zexion said softly, lips barely pushing apart to form the words.

Myde shrugged, lips pursing. "Probably not: no. After a while, apologizing becomes nothing more than rote, and they have no longer have meaning behind them. In your case, there would be no true meaning behind them right from the beginning."

"I can't help what I am, Myde- not anymore. And for that, I can't say I'm sorry."

"I know. I wasn't saying that as a truly bad thing- just that your apologies won't do much good," Myde muttered, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"Then what do you want me to do?" Zexion said, almost exasperated.

"I don't know, Zexion. I think this is what people call an impasse. I don't need your apologies, Zexion. I just… I want…" Myde stopped, unable to explain what he was thinking.

With jerky, sudden moves, Myde jumped off the bed and stalked across the room, before whirling back to face Zexion, who had scrambled up onto his knees, his bedding a mess piled around him, hair swinging around his wide eyes, hands gripping the sheets until the knuckles had whitened.

"You're not him!" Myde cried. "I fell in love with someone who was a lie, Zexion!"

Zexion choked, head bowing down, and the grip on his sheets tightening further.

"I fell in love with someone named Ienzo. But there is no Ienzo! What am I supposed to do?!" he continued, hands going up to his arms, gripping himself in a hug.

Zexion's body bowed down even farther, till he was almost spread, back arched, over the bed. He remained silent, though, as Myde whirled around in circles, pacing frantically.

"I get why you did it! And that's what makes it worse! Because I can't actually be mad at you for lying! But I can't trust you! I was such a fool!" Myde uttered, lips trembling with tears he refused to shed.

Zexion's head jerked up. "No," he whispered frantically, body scuttling across the bed and slipping onto the floor. "No, you're not the fool! I was!" he said, cautiously approaching Myde.

Myde squeezed his eyes shut. "You only lied to me and thought you could get away with it. That's not foolish, so much as arrogant. I, however, fell for it, hook, line, and sinker." He paused. "What were you thinking, Zexion?! Did you honestly expect that you could get away with it?!"

Zexion's head jerked, shaking from side to side. "No, no, no, no, no," he muttered, eyes closing, too. "No, no, no, no, no, no," he continued on, repeating the word over and over again.

Myde breathed shakily, feeling incredibly close to crying. "You said you loved me. Who lies to the one they love?"

He opened his eyes, dusky blue staring into sea green. "Myde…," he whispered, almost pleading, hand stretched out to Myde. "I… I didn't mean… I never… I never thought-."

"You're right you didn't think," Myde interjected, unwilling to hear anymore of Zexion's excuses. "I have a right to be mad. I have a… a right to be upset. But I can't really be, because I fucking understand why you lied. Why you _had_ to lie. But this doesn't change the fact that who I love doesn't exist! Are you Ienzo, Zexion?! Was everything you did for me… a lie?!"

A silence descended upon the two, Zexion still franticly shaking his head no.

He began to speak again, voice hushed. "I… I-I knew that you had to be told. Axel had been… warning me to tell you for days. That it was much safer for me to tell you, then for someone else. But I…," he broke off. "I was… selfish," he whispered brokenly.

"The only thing going through my mind was the heady feeling of being near you. You're… you are so unique, Myde. I've never met another Somebody like you before. And you made everything… so much brighter, and so much more wonderful. But I had already fed you a lie by the time I realized what you meant to me, and…," he paused, "and I didn't want to lose your light. I was being so selfish, wanting you only for me, and not letting you know the truth. I never should have done that."

Myde slipped his hands into his hair, fingers curling into his light blond locks and starting to tug.

"When you told me to leave… I never thought I'd see you again," Zexion whispered, stepping closer.

Myde shook his head, stepping back.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked, voice hush and hoarse.

Zexion shrugged, head falling down and his hair curtaining more of his face. "I can't tell you what you're supposed to, Myde. That's… completely up to you, and only you can say what you're going to do."

Myde stepped forward, grabbing Zexion's hands, forcing his head up, and staring into his eyes. "You have no idea how much I want to forgive you, Zexion," he murmured, eyes searching Zexion's, noting the tint of emotions behind them.

His hands brushed against Zexion's wrist, and he clasped them lightly around the thin bones. Myde only just realized that there was no pulse thrumming beneath the skin.

"But I don't know if I should," he continued. "I don't know if I can trust you again. I don't know if you won't decide that I'm not worth it and that you'll just leave." Myde breathed in deeply before continuing, "I'm not even sure that this could ever work."

Zexion's breath shuddered in and out. He clasped his hands together, and turned his back to Myde, making his way over to his bookshelves, lined with all manners of books.

Trailing a hand along the spines, he said, "I made my life on knowing the workings of everything." He stopped at one book, and took it out, flipping it open and leafing through the pages. "Since the day I had learned to read, I would open any book that I could find and pore through its contents, hungering voraciously for anything I could find."

He paused, a hand on a page. "I felt that if the answer to any of my questions wasn't in a book already, then it hadn't been answered, and that it was imperative that it be found and answered. Because I believed that every little detail in the world had to be documented, for surely there was someone who would come along seeking the answer at some point."

He closed the book, and replaced it. "And that way of life was fine for me. Even when I had turned into this… this non-existent thing, I was okay, because I had my research, and my tools, and my way of life. And I didn't need or want anything more."

Myde closed his eyes, shoulders slumping forward. When he went to open his mouth, Zexion rushed over, placing two fingers to Myde's lips. "Don't say anything, please," he whispered, eyes desperate and searching through Myde's own, "I… I need to get this out. Please."

Myde closed his lips, and Zexion moved away, taking his fingers off of Myde's soft lips.

He went back to his previous position of pacing, treading small circles in his carpet. "I liked my way of life, Myde. I had everything I thought I needed, and I knew what I wanted out of life, and then it didn't matter, because apathy is a Nobody's best friend. But then I met you, and everything changed.

"You were so different- in everything, and I couldn't understand it." Zexion scoffed suddenly. "I didn't even want to do the mission in the beginning. I was one of the Original Six. I shouldn't have had to do such menial jobs. I should not have had to baby sit an incoming member. But then I saw you, and you intrigued me so much; I had to know more."

"And the more I learned, the more I became confused, because you are nothing like you seemed, but, at the same time, you are everything that you seem. You are such a paradox to me that I couldn't figure you out. And then… you found me."

Zexion shook his head. "You shouldn't have been able to find me, Myde. My powers… are tailored for sneaking, and keeping what I want hidden… hidden. You weren't supposed to find me. I'm perfect at cloaking myself, and this isn't just pride saying this. But… you were able to: a feat that no one has ever managed to accomplish. Before, if I didn't want to be found, I wasn't going to be. And this just proved more just how unique you were."

"But what does this have to do with falling in love with me?" Myde interrupted, impatient.

Zexion snorted. "Everything, Myde: everything."

He turned around and began to wear a path through the other side of his carpet, markings almost identical. "I gave you my old name, Myde. My name was Ienzo Zalman… before I died. At the time, I did it to save myself. You had just discovered me, and if you found out anything of my mission, I wouldn't need return to my home: Superior would have made sure that I wouldn't be going home.

"I had to make sure that you didn't know who I was, and that I could still salvage my mission, identity be damned. So, I lied to you. And I was apathetic to it, because I cannot feel, and, at the time, my mission was more important to me than you. You were… my latest subject."

Zexion stopped, making his way to Myde, taking Myde's hands in his. "I've never felt this way about someone before, Myde: not as a Nobody, and not even when I still lived fully and completely. My parents… were the closest I had to love. So… when my memories started… conjuring pictures of love, and this strange happiness that I wasn't familiar with, I was so… scared, and apprehensive. This could have ended so badly for us, Myde.

"But I was selfish, because I wanted to be near you. I… I decided that being with you was better than being alone, and it was certainly great enough to risk incurring the wrath of Superior. I was so afraid that you would find out, though, so I tried to hide it from you. And you made it so easy, because you were so trusting, and you knew that I wasn't telling you everything, but you accepted everything I told you."

"So now you mock me?!" Myde snapped, tearing his hands out of Zexion's. "I trusted you, so you abuse this trust? You abuse it and do so willingly, even knowing that it wasn't going to last?! Why should I believe anything you say now? I can't trust you. You lost that right when you lied to me!"

Zexion closed his eyes, feeling close to crying. "I… don't expect you to trust me, Myde. I just… I want to be given a second chance."

Myde stopped breathing, windpipe closing up in surprise, eyes widening. Then, he forced his lungs to work, forced his throat to open, and his mouth to allow air inside. His eyes narrowed into slits. "What?" he growled. "Why should I give you a second chance? You don't want anything… you have no feelings! Why, exactly, should I stay with a man who can't feel?"

"Because you are the reason that I do feel!" he cried out, hands clenching into fists, knuckles turning white quickly. "When I'm around you… I… I _feel_. When I'm with you… I am more than nothing. You make me feel like I'm something. And I was so selfish, not wanting to give that up, because it would have been far safer for you to have never met me. But I didn't give you up, and I didn't tell the truth, and I just dug myself even further into this web of lies, and I'm sorry! But I want a second chance, and I want to be with you again, because without you… I'm nobody."

His breath was harsh, pulling at his chest, escaping his lungs with great gasps. Myde just stood there, staring at the tinier man, watching his hands tremble. He knew that Zexion was waiting for him to say something. But what could he say? No one had ever said anything like that to him before.

He sighed, eyes still trained on the quivering body before him. "Even if I gave you a second chance… do you honestly expect that I would trust you? Who's to say that you wouldn't lie to me again, or do something worse? Can you… can you understand where I'm coming from?" he asked, taking a step toward Zexion.

"Of course I understand this. The only thing on my mind for the last week has been you. But… I want to show you that I can be trusted. I want to show you that you mean so much more to me than anything has before in my life. I've been so derelict in showing you how much I love you. Please… give me one more chance," Zexion pleaded, stepping closer to Myde.

Myde heaved a heavy sigh, wondering what he should do. Even if Zexion had lied to him, and abused his trust, there was no one quite like him. There was no one that Myde would ever love more. Without Zexion, Myde felt incomplete. It was almost ironic how Zexion fulfilled in him exactly what he fulfilled in Zexion. But was it enough to give him a second chance?

"You can probably imagine how afraid I am right now, Zexion," he began. "I don't want to be hurt again, and I know that getting back together with you leaves me open to that risk. But I also know that not being with you is like… living without music, or air. I couldn't do it… I _can't_ do it. So, I'll give you another chance."

Zexion's head jerked up, and he went to say something, but Myde held up a finger.

"On one condition," he stated.

"Anything," Zexion quickly acquiesced. "Whatever you want, I'll do it."

Myde grabbed one of Zexion's hands, delicately tracing the ivory skin and the blue blood vessels coursing beneath its surface. "Give me a second chance?" he asked, whispering his request into Zexion's open ear.

Zexion's eyes closed, mouth shuddering. He grabbed Myde around the shoulder, and hugged him close. "That was never a problem," he answered just as softly.

* * *

"Do you trust me?"

It wasn't truly a question that needed an answer, but Zexion was nothing if but prompt in giving one. "Of course, Myde," he muttered, engrossed in another paper for the Superior on Myde's progress.

It had been two weeks since their makeup, and Zexion had basically set up residence in Myde's room, much to the displeasure of Myde's parents. He went back to the Castle That Never Was periodically, for the meetings that every Organization member had to attend, and to submit occasional updates on Myde to the Superior.

"Do you love me?"

Zexion's pen stalled on the paper, and he turned his head, hair falling away from his face, eyes showing concern and questions.

"I love you with all of my non-existent heart," he whispered.

Myde snorted, grin sliding on his face.

"Would you be willing to help me with something?"

"Need you ask?"

Myde sheepishly grinned. "No, I guess I don't."

Zexion narrowed his eyes. "Myde, what's going on?"

Myde's lips turned down slightly, and Zexion's eyes immediately shifted to the muscles in Myde's arms, which were tightening.

"What do you have behind your back, Myde?" Zexion asked, eyes narrowing, his body rising from the chair next to Myde's desk.

Myde closed his eyes, and sighed, taking a gulp, his Adam's apple working up and down.

"Close your eyes, Zexion," he whispered, stepping up to the smaller man, "and hold out your hand."

Zexion, smiling slightly, did as told, extending one hand out towards Myde.

Myde stared at the innocent hand, wondering if he were going to be able to gather courage to ask what he was about to.

With a burst of conviction, he thrust a bottle and package into Zexion's hand.

"Have sex with me!" he rushed out.

Zexion's eyes flashed open in surprise, hand automatically clenching around what Myde had placed in them.

"Wha…? What?!" he yelped.

Myde knocked his head with his hand. "Oh, God, that could have come out better," he muttered.

Zexion's eyes were still widened with surprise. "Myde...," he began, "what… are you trying to say?"

Myde looked uncomfortable. "Isn't it obvious? I want….," he gritted his teeth, "I want to have sex with you."

Zexion's eyebrows furrowed, before he looked down at what was in his hands. "Myde… is this…?"

Myde grunted. "Yes! It is lubrication and a condom! I want to do the dirty with you, Zexion!" He blushed hotly.

He collapsed in the seat Zexion had just vacated, cradling his head between his hands. "Well," he muttered off to the side, "this could have gone better."

Zexion began to laugh. "Your… execution is so cute, Myde," he said, grinning.

He bent down to Myde's level. "Why would you want to have sex with me?" he asked, letting the contents in his hand tumble to the floor, while he used one hand to grab one of Myde's, bringing it down to his lips, and kissing it.

"Do you have to ask?" Myde muttered, lips pursing, eyes staring into Zexion.

"Myde… I don't think having sex would be a good idea," Zexion began.

Myde started. "Why not?!" he cried out.

"I just… I don't think the two of us doing something so… intimate… after having just made up…. Plus, we haven't even known each other for that long. This is a great step, Myde, and not one that should be taken lightly," Zexion went on.

"How much time do I have left, Zexion?" Myde asked suddenly.

Zexion looked startled. "What?"

"How much time do I have before I become a Nobody?" he repeated.

"Forever, as far as I'm concerned," Zexion ground out, teeth gritted and eyes fierce.

Myde smiled ruefully. "We both know that that's not going to happen," he began. "My days are numbered, Zexion, and I know that the time I have left… as a human… is almost up."

"We don't know that, Myde. Don't say such things," Zexion muttered. "We can… we can fight it."

Myde shook his head. "It's not that I don't want to believe that I'll stay… human, but… we have to accept the fact that my losing my heart is a much bigger possibility."

Zexion growled. "What does any of this have to do with us having sex, anyway?"

He rolled his eyes. "I would have thought that would have been obvious." He sighed. "Zexion… I love you. I love you so much, and I.... Couples… have sex, after a certain point… when they both feel as though it's the proper step."

Myde gulped. "I think that time is now."

"Why now so soon after having made up?"

"You really can be dense, can't you?"

"I don't take kindly to my intelligence being insulted so," Zexion muttered. "Just tell me."

"I want to have sex with you while I can still feel love!" Myde burst out.

Zexion coiled back in surprise.

"If… if it's my fate… to become a Nobody, then I'll just have to accept that. But, I don't want to become unfeeling without being able to feel what making love to the love of my life is like. At least… once, before I turn." Myde bore into Zexion's eyes. "Please?" he whispered.

"You know I can't say no to you," Zexion whispered.

"Then don't try to," Myde said simply, before leaning forward.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to make love to you, Zexion…." he breathed.

With a simple little smile, Myde leaned forward more and closed the distance between the two, laying his lips on Zexion's.

Zexion's eyes widened slightly before closing, lips automatically moving with Myde's in a practice they had come to know well in the last two weeks.

"Do you trust me enough to do this," he murmured, lips still in contact with Myde's, eyes staring at Myde's closed ones, hesitation brimming through.

Myde's lips curled upwards, knowing that Zexion had caved. "I don't know," he said. "Have you earned my trust yet? I say you use this as an opportunity."

He stood up, holding out a hand to Zexion. Trembling, Zexion took his hand, moving to his feet, feeling breathless and uncertain.

Soon, the two were in a lip lock again, slowly moving towards Myde's bed, stumbling slightly over their feet, eyes not watching where they were going.

Zexion tore his mouth away. "What… about your… parents?" he huffed out.

"They're out for the night. Why do you think I asked today? They wanted to go on a much needed date," Myde said, rolling his eyes, impatient. "Can we not talk about my parents when we're about to have sex? It really doesn't put me in the right mood."

"Fair enough," Zexion murmured, chuckling.

Lips connected, and hands intertwined, as the two simply basked in each other, lying on Myde's bed.

Zexion let go of one hand, and gently brought it down to Myde's shirt, slipping the fingers underneath the shirt, coming to rest against Myde's warm back.

The two continued to kiss, though Zexion could feel that Myde had stiffened slightly. They had only gone this far once before, and he knew that this was nowhere near what they were about to do.

Hoping to distract Myde, he swept his tongue into Myde's mouth, tasting the certain sweetness that Myde always had. All the while, his hand continued to slide up Myde's back, Myde reveling in the soft touches.

Myde pulled away. "Ngh…" he muttered. "Just take it off," he said impatiently before quickly removing Zexion's hand and sweeping the T-shirt up and over his head, leaving the expanse of his chest open for Zexion's eyes.

Zexion stared hungrily, before Myde closed in, pressing his lips back to Zexion's. Zexion lifted his hands, letting them come to rest on the expanse of Myde's flat stomach, before sliding them up, stopping at Myde's nipples.

One slender finger gently grazed past it, and Myde jerked back, a hiss exploding from his mouth.

Zexion's eyes narrowed, and then a sly grin flittered across his face. He pulled his hand over the nipple and pressed down.

And the reaction he received was beautiful. A hiss, arched back, and one moan later and Zexion could honestly say that perhaps Myde had been right. Perhaps, just perhaps, this is was the best time to do this. Uneven pants and soft guff's of breath steamed the air.

Myde's spasms died down, and he reached down and attacked Zexion's lips, teeth clicking against teeth, pads of flesh pressed together, pushing back and forth, and tongues venturing forth from their mouths to lick and suck.

It was passionate, and clumsy, and so goddamn beautiful, all at one time, and Myde practically gasped tears, happy that he would be able to feel this with everything in his heart.

He snaked hands around Zexion's waist, and felt his own smirk touch his lips as he felt the lips pressed against his open wide in a gasp. His hands roamed over Zexion's back, and underneath the shirt, touching skin that was starting to sweat a little. With an impatient little hiss, he grabbed the tails of the shirt and jerked it over Zexion's head, sending the locks of blue-gray hair flying out from his eyes, and Myde could see the faint traces of something more than desire in those dark blue orbs.

And he rejoiced in it, reveled in it, and decided that he wanted to see more.

With even more passion, the two went back to merely kissing, tongues attacking even more, exploring each other's mouths with abandon, hands roaming with equal abandon over the expanse of flat chest presented to them.

What freedom this gave them. What sense of joy. What a terrible, terrible hunger for more.

More, and more, and more.

Zexion slipped his hands (pianist fingers, as Myde liked to call them) into the blond, sweaty locks at the base of Myde's nape, and clenched harder than he normally would, causing another moan of sweet lust to escape from his lover. But his hands, for all that he wanted to keep them entangled in Myde' s hair, moved of their own volition, and soon swept down the expanse of his back, slightly dipping under the edge of the gap in Myde's jeans.

How bold he had become, but with his mouth practically suctioned to Myde's, and Myde's just-as-clumsy hands sweeping his own body, he found himself unable to care, and his thirst for more drove him on.

Breaking away from the kiss, it didn't take him long to latch onto a point near the pulse in Myde's neck, sucking open-mouthed on the salty sweet section, tongue coming out to lick at the pulse point. And he continued on downwards, spurred on by the jerks, shudders, moans, and fingers digging into the flesh of his back. Myde's body shook with the pleasure, and he wanted to hurry, and he just wanted more. More than what Zexion was giving.

Soon, a light sheen of sweat covered their bodies, and they hadn't even taken off more than their shirts. Pants were still intact, but their bodies felt so fevered.

Nothing like this had ever been felt before by them. Who knew that this hunger could be so consuming, make them so needy. The scent of each other, especially for Zexion's naturally heightened senses, was intoxicating, driving them ever forward.

And soon, mouths returned to the other, and hands made their way to the buttons on the jeans that kept each other from seeing each other fully for their first time.

And there, they paused, mouths slowly disconnecting, falling away, eyes overshadowed with lust and love connecting, hands pausing on those buttons, lean stomachs sucking in at the touch of the other's hands.

Myde's eyes showed confusion, slowly clearing. Zexion's showed hesitation.

"Myde, if we do this, there's no going back," he whispered. "Are you absolutely sure this is what you want? I don't want to hurt you."

Myde cocked his head, laying it down on his pillow. Then, he began to move his hands, slipping the button to Zexion's jeans out slowly. "I was sure about this," he said, "before I ever asked you to have sex with me." And then the zipper was pulled down. "But are you sure?" he asked.

Zexion smiled slightly, hands beginning to perform the same routine on Myde's jeans. "Yeah," he murmured, "I am."

Myde smiled, and Zexion covered it with his mouth, hands disappearing beneath the gap in Myde's jeans, and slowly pulling them down Myde's long legs.

And the two were at it again, reveling in just being with each other, in this place, at this time, with no interruptions and only each other to love. It was a heaven for them, enshrouded in a world of their own, gauzy curtains closing them off from the rest of the silent house.

And soon, their hands were roaming down legs, gently pressing here and there, mouths slowly slipping at each other, no hurry in each gentle touch, skim, and press of their hands. And now it was even more beautiful, what they were feeling, and what they were hearing, and smelling, and this wasn't ugly, and it wasn't about sex, and it wasn't about being anything but each other, and being near enough to press into skin, press through and be together.

Hands entangled, and pulled apart, and Zexion felt almost as though they were in a dance, a dance of their choosing. His hands fumbled at the cap to the lubrication Myde had made sure was near, mind and mouth occupied elsewhere, and his hands were shaking so much, he was so nervous, and he knew that this was it, this was what all of the research weeks ago had been leading up to, and he knew that they were going to do it, and he didn't care anymore- he didn't feel nervous, and, for once in his Nobody life, he felt the fullest he'd ever been, warmth spreading throughout his body.

And then, the cap was open, and the cold liquid was spreading across his fingers, and Myde was pulling back and silently giving permission, and then they were in the tightest, hottest area they'd ever encountered, and Zexion almost gasped at the feeling of his fingers actually being inside Myde, and how could anyone ever call this disgusting? How could he have never wanted to do this before? And those fingers moved, stretching against the walls of flesh, and then he was grazing against something and Myde, who had previously been biting his lip, tears leaking out the corners of his eyes, shuddered and squeaked, hips jerking forward and then settling back down, and another gasp trailed out of his mouth.

But the fingers were merciless, moving, and pushing, and grazing, pressing and stretching, and Myde was turning into a puddle of goo, and Zexion couldn't stop, even if he had wanted to. Constant moans, shuddered gasps, and whispered exhalations of Zexion's names poured from Myde's lips, and neither of them could really tell who they were anymore.

But then they left, and Myde felt empty, and disappointed, and he wanted them back and more, and Zexion felt that something was missing, but it didn't matter because those same fingers were reaching for a tube, and squeezing liquid onto Zexion's length, and Myde's fingers joined in the spreading, gasps and moans now pouring from Zexion's mouth, and their mouths connected again, sloppily, teeth clinking against each other, but neither cared about that.

Zexion pressed into Myde, and nearly stopped at the feelings that assaulted him. Myde was jerking in pain, tears again squeezing out from under closed eyelids, and he almost felt like pulling out, because nothing was worth making Myde go through this kind of pain, but when he tried, Myde stopped him with a hand on his backside, and a quick jerky shake of his head.

"The pain…," he gasped out, "is worth it. Don't stop… _Zexion_…. _Move_…."

And Zexion had no choice but to follow his instincts and Myde's pleading, rough voice asking for more, and then there was thrusting, and more thrusting, and he was picking up his pace, and Myde was nearly incoherent, and Zexion was grunting, hips pushing back and forth. They began to kiss again, and Zexion continued the jerky thrusts, sometimes grazing Myde's prostrate, sometimes hitting it straight, and sometimes missing it completely.

But this had transcended pleasure and pain, and they were just immersing themselves in each other, and the feelings were barely there.

The thrusting continued, for what felt like forever, but didn't, and Zexion could feel something curling in his stomach, and he sent a hand down between their moving bodies, and closed around Myde, causing him to jerk and choke on spittle, eyes closed, legs clenching tighter around Zexion's legs, and Zexion was close, and he knew it, and there wasn't anything that could be done to change it, and he didn't want to in any case.

And then there was a light bursting behind his eyelids, and his mouth opened and he stilled, and then it was over.

He collapsed to the side, panting, chest moving with the exertion, and what about Myde?

He opened his eyes, and saw that Myde's chest was similarly moving, eyes just as closed.

And it hit him what they had just done, and how wonderful it had been, even though it was so clumsy.

"Myde," he rasped out, breath shaking and his chest shuddering.

Myde's eyes opened, and he turned his head to stare at Zexion.

"Thank you, Zexion," he weakly whispered, curling up next to the panting, sweaty body of his lover.

"No, Myde… thank you," Zexion answered, legs entangling, pulling Myde even closer.

Dealing with the clean up and talking would come later.

But for now, the two stayed in their small cocoon. Zexion gently kissed Myde's forehead, brushing away a small bit of sweat-soaked hair. Myde sighed and snuggled closer, a small smirk playing across his lips. He had gotten exactly what he wanted.

And the two rested, heads cushioned on the same pillow, peace having returned at last.

* * *

**A/N: **So, what do you guys think? Only two more after this, and then this story is finished. I'm almost sad to see it go. Sorry that it gets so cheesy sometimes. I'm a girl, I can't help it. Please feed this authoress with reviews?


	19. When Plans Go Awry

A/N: Yeah, there's no excuse. I'll just let you get to reading now. Thanks go to kate avalanche for an outstanding job in beta-ing, as always.

* * *

_**Chapter Nineteen: When Plans Go Awry**_

Zexion had never gotten used to sleeping with other people. In fact, until Myde came along, Zexion had never shared a bed with another person.

But it didn't take him long to acclimate to this new environment. Weeks spent sleeping with Myde in the bed, and Zexion was used to feeling Myde's arms around his. He was used to the breath on his neck, and waking with Myde's leg wrapped around his.

Myde was a heavy sleeper, but that didn't mean that he didn't move around. This, too, Zexion got used to. Sure, he woke up some days with bruises littering his torso, but it was all worth it, if only to wake up next to Myde.

Which is why, the day after they made love, and it was love, it wasn't sex, Zexion noted the distinction, Zexion was, understandably, confused when he woke up, and there were no arms wrapped around him. There was no breath on his neck, and there was no leg entangled in his.

Myde wasn't in bed with him, which in itself was odd, since Zexion always awoke first and always laid in bed till Myde woke up next. Zexion never thought that he'd miss having those arms around him when he woke. Was he really that much of a romantic?

He supposed that being with Myde really had changed who he was, not that he could find it in himself to regret this change.

But, well, he didn't like waking up with Myde not there. So, where was Myde? It was obvious that he had been out of bed for a while, since the sheets on Myde's side of the bed were cool, having not been slept on for a few hours.

What time was it?

Zexion squinted at the alarm clock on the bedside table, eyes widening slightly at the time. It was nearly eleven o'clock in the morning. He never slept such a long time, being a naturally early riser.

It was no wonder Myde wasn't in bed.

Zexion sat up, throwing off the bedspread and rising to his feet, padding out of the bedroom and down the hall, looking for Myde.

He eventually found Myde dancing around the kitchen, singing along to the radio, a spatula in his hand acting as his microphone.

Zexion smiled, sniffing the air. It smelled like whatever Myde was cooking was starting to burn, Myde too interested in his dance number to watch over it correctly.

He shuffled over to the stove, taking another spatula out of the drawer and flipping the tortilla wrapped concoction.

Suddenly, arms wrapped around his shoulders and hooked over his chest, and a whispery kiss was laid on his chin.

"Morning, Zexion," Myde grinned.

Zexion smiled. This is what life should have been like, waking up each morning and making breakfast, just basking in the glow that being in love brought. And here it came: the sappiness.

"Why'd you let me sleep in so late?" Zexion asked, shutting off the burner and turning around to face Myde.

Myde smiled. "Well, I figured, since you weren't the first to wake up, that last night might've worn you out, so I decided to just let you sleep."

Zexion nodded. "I suppose that makes sense," he said, shifting in place, feeling so uncomfortable. What did one do after a night like the one they had had?

Why was this so awkward, at least for him? Last night hadn't really changed anything.

"So, anyway," Myde continued, stepping to the side and taking the pan off the stove, scooping up the tortilla wrap and transferring it to a plate, "I thought we'd go out today."

Zexion's eyebrow rose. "What do you mean?" he asked as Myde handed the plate to him, and then proceeded to make another wrap, turning the stove back on and heating it up.

He walked over to another drawer, grabbing a fork and then to the refrigerator, grabbing a drink, before sitting down at the table, and cutting into the chicken wrap.

Myde just shrugged, reaching over and turning off the radio, the sudden silence cutting through the room. "Well," he began, "I've been thinking since I got up about something."

Zexion paused. "What've you been thinking about?" he asked hesitatingly.

"The fact that we've been a couple now for a little over a month, and we've even had sex, and, well… we've never actually been on a date."

Confused, Zexion repeated, "Date?"

Myde nodded, flipping the tortilla wrap and then transferring it to another plate, following the same pattern that Zexion had not a moment earlier, before sitting down across from Zexion and digging into his food.

"Yeah," he answered, swallowing the bite of food in his mouth before continuing, "it's just… where I come from, we go on dates. You know, go out somewhere, where it's just the two of us, and doing something nice or fun."

"I have heard of dates before, Myde, I know what they are," Zexion said dryly.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to get them confused with dates, the fruit," Myde said wisely, nodding his head before cracking a cheeky smile.

Zexion had never seen anyone smile as often as Myde did. Then again, it had been over ten years since he'd been near anyone with real emotion.

Zexion sighed, setting down his fork. "Well, I don't suppose why not," he commented, staring down hard into his plate of food, wishing that the world would just open and swallow him. This really shouldn't feel so embarrassing.

Myde grinned, the smile so mega-watt bright that Zexion almost felt blinded.

"Great! Well, why don't you go get a shower while I clean up! I already know exactly where I want to take you!"

Zexion nodded, pushing away from the table and getting up. He did want to rid himself of the gunk crusted on his abdomen. How had he not noticed it before?

Myde gathered the plates and set them in the sink, running water and turning the radio back on, bobbing his head to the music once more.

Zexion walked out of the kitchen, padding up the stairs and veering into the bathroom, turning the water to scalding hot and getting in. As the water sluiced over his body, pounding away at the hardened crust over his abdomen, Zexion frowned, contemplating everything that had happened.

He and Myde had made love. After merely a month of knowing each other, they had had sex. Zexion didn't regret what they had done. He didn't regret anything that he had done with Myde; merely that he had lied to him for so long.

Zexion knew that things were going so fast. They should have had the time to do things normally. They never should've had sex so early on in their relationship.

As Myde had pointed out, they had never even been on a date before. How could everything be so confusing? How had things gotten to this point?

Zexion felt a foreboding shiver go up his spine. He knew that things were changing: the status quo, per se, was changing. There was just so much that could go wrong, and it would be so easy for Myde to lose his heart.

And… if Myde did, there was no guarantee that he would survive the transformation. Perhaps his heart wasn't strong enough to withstand parting, and his body would not transform the empty shell into something living. But everything he was going over he had gone over time and time again. Nothing besides Myde finding out about everything had changed.

But Zexion had gone over these disturbing facts so many times. He'd been gone over, been under, read through, converted into numbers, went over the possibilities, anything he could think of to change the depressing facts.

As water ran down his body, trickled between his toes and down the drain, Zexion came to a decision. It wasn't a nice one, and it wasn't one he liked, particularly, but he supposed it would have to be for the best.

Myde nervously stood by the front door, jiggling his house keys in one hand, fiddling through the loops and jingling them just to hear the soothing clinks of metal against metal. Waiting for Zexion was proving to be nerve-wracking, and Myde didn't even know why.

Sure, it was their first date, but they'd gotten over the big hurdle of having sex. Surely a date couldn't be all that worse?

Myde started pacing in the front hallway, turning sharply in the tight space as soon as he reached the wall.

"Myde?" Zexion called out, coming down the stairs, his head set at an inquisitive tilt.

"Oh, you're ready," Myde babbled, keys coming to a stall in his hand. "Come on, there's only so much day time left," he continued, turning around and opening the front door.

Zexion smiled. "Okay, that sounds fine."

The two stepped out onto the stoop and Zexion took a look around Myde's neighborhood for the first time.

Sure, he'd been outside with Myde more than once, but he'd never really taken the time to ever notice where exactly they were. He'd always been busier watching Myde.

Myde's house was white clapboard, set on the end of a cul-de-sac, one in a long line of generic cookie cutter houses. Oh, the joys of modern suburbia. Thankfully, there weren't any white picket fences around that Zexion could see.

"Alright," Myde said, clapping his hands and digging his keys into his back pocket. "So, I've been thinking of where we'd want to go, and I thought you'd like to go to the fair."

Zexion looked at Myde. "A fair?"

Myde smiled. "Yeah, yeah, I know: it's completely cliché and over done as a first date, but it's easy and fun." Myde paused. "Perhaps that's part of the reason why it's so over done," he mused.

Zexion laughed, walking down the steps and saying to Myde, "Well, we don't have all day, so why don't we get going?"

Myde nodded, rushing down the steps and taking Zexion's hand.

* * *

The price of tickets was higher than Myde remembered, and he nearly gulped at the amount before paying it quietly, choking slightly as he watched the money exchange hands. Zexion wasn't even around, having gone over to the chain link fence at the side to watch the spectators inside. For that, Myde was grateful. He was having a mental breakdown here, almost, having to hand that money over. He definitely did not need Zexion see it.

He walked up to Zexion and put his hand on his shoulder, shaking slightly and waving the tickets in Zexion's face. "Got 'em!"

Zexion nodded and grabbed one, taking Myde's free hand and moving through the opening in the fence, handing his ticket to the bored-looking employee. He'd never been to a fair before, and it was obvious.

Myde looked at Zexion, taking in the awed face and the glitter in the eyes that were usually flat. The fair, while not much to one who had been there many times, was a spectacle that any newcomer to the scene would enjoy.

From the pockets of groups of people interspersed everywhere, to the smells wafting and striking the senses from every corner, the fair was a sight, smell, taste, and touch to behold. And Zexion had never felt so assaulted before in his life… non-life.

It was overwhelming to be there for the first time: to have those smells just bombard his extremely sensitive nose. He swayed, hand coming to hold his head.

"Zexion?" Myde asked, putting a hand on Zexion's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Zexion took an open mouthed breath, shaking his head, holding his nose closed with his fingers.

Myde's face crumpled and he took Zexion's arm, leading him over to the side, where a wooden bench had been placed. Zexion, who felt more like a limp noodle than a human, yelped slightly when his head was suddenly grabbed and forced down between his knees. "Breathe slowly," Myde said, keeping the pressure on the back of Zexion's head, kneading gently at the base of his skull. "You'll calm down soon."

Soon enough, though, Zexion was able to calm down, breath gasping out in pants, his nose still plugged. All the while, Myde sat, holding his head down and a worried expression on his face.

"You can let me up now, Myde," Zexion murmured, voice nasal from his nose still being plugged up.

Myde looked skeptical, but did as Zexion asked.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Zexion nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, cautiously lifting his fingers from his nose and taking a whiff.

Myde nodded back. "Okay," was what he said, though what he was really thinking was, "I'm stupid, oh, dammit, why don't I ever think anything through!? I should've known that the fair wouldn't be the best place for his nose!" Of course, he didn't let any of this show.

Myde stood up, and stretched his fingers out to Zexion.

"Come on, let's go have fun."

* * *

Axel was a bit of a stand-offish man. He didn't hate the other Nobodies (no, of course not, he wouldn't be able to) but he didn't go out of his way to make friends with them.

Still, he had no problem being around them, especially when they let drop juicy little tidbits.

Saïx and the Superior usually didn't exit from the Superior's office, unless Saïx was handing out missions to the other members. However, they had apparently made an exception today, seeing as how Axel had caught them walking by the doors to the common room where he was standing.

Nobodies were naturally curious creatures. How could they not be, when they had nothing else to fill the void and their days? Axel was no different.

When the two slipped by and Axel happened to see them, he was curious as to why their heads were bent low together, why the two were out walking, why Xemnas appeared relaxed and even… delighted.

It should come as no surprise that Axel put down the book that he hadn't been reading and slipped out the doors to tail the two.

Now, Axel was not Zexion: he didn't deal in tailing and he didn't deal in keeping masked. But neither of the two seemed to notice him, so he figured he was doing a pretty decent job of staying hidden.

"I can feel it, Superior," Saïx said. "It's written in the moon and stars."

"Perfect," Xemnas purred. "Don't send any members to that world. We don't need them to defeat the Heartless there, not if he's so close."

Axel raised an eyebrow in confusion; they defeated Heartless, not let them multiply and run rampant. What were they up to?

Saïx nodded. "Of course, Superior: we wouldn't want to lose this opportune chance. Should we at least inform Number Six? He has, after all, been the one looking after the boy."

Axel hummed at the new information. They were talking about Myde… Myde and… Heartless. So that's what was going on.

"No," Xemnas answered. "We do not need inform him: Prospective Number Nine is of no more concern to him. He'll be back to normal once he no longer has to care for the boy, I'm sure. He'll be pleased to go back to his research. Besides, I'm sure it will be no more than a few days before we accept another into our ranks."

Saïx nodded. "If that is what you think is best, I have no objections."

"Good. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

"No, not at this time; we shall see about later. I feel something's close, but I haven't been able to pinpoint it yet," Saïx answered.

"Very well; if that is all, I need return to my office. You know where to find me," Xemnas said, slipping away into a portal.

Saïx stared at the place where Xemnas had disappeared before turning around and staring directly at Axel, who apparently wasn't that great at staying hidden.

"I do hope, Axel," he began, "that you heed the Superior's wishes and do not inform Number Six. Do not begin to presume that I do not have, at the very least, a small inkling of what transpired during the past month. Number Three does not keep his mouth shut all that much."

Axel stepped out of the shadows. "What makes you think you can stop me if I choose to inform Zexion?" he challenged.

Saïx softly smiled: a smile that held nothing but menace. "I do not presume to think I could, though I'm sure you can understand why it would be best why Number Six is not informed. Number Six would not take well to the news, as I'm sure you very well know why. He'd be losing his heart for the second time. Who knows if he'd be able to recover, honestly?"

"Why does it matter if he knows now or after the fact? Either way, he'll have lost his 'heart', as you so put it."

Saïx stepped a little closer. "If he knows now, he'll probably try and save the boy. That would be detrimental to our cause, Axel, if he were able to keep the boy from turning. You know why we're doing what we're doing."

Axel shrugged. "What do I care, either way? Fine, I'll think about whether or not I'll tell."

He opened a portal and stepped through, waving slightly to the older member. "I'm sure things will turn out how they will," he said as the portal closed.

Axel stepped out of the portal and into his room, wondering around and thinking of what to do. While he had no obligation to tell Zexion of what was coming, it didn't seem right to subject Myde to the fate that had been dished out to the rest of them. Did Axel care enough to change the boy's destiny, possibly?

Should he tell or should he just leave well enough alone? It wasn't as though it mattered to him in the long run, either way.

Axel decided that he might as well tell: he only followed orders when he wanted to.

* * *

Zexion sat staring out across the fairgrounds, watching the sun set behind puffy clouds.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Myde whispered, who was sitting right beside him, arms crossed across the bars and his head resting on them.

Zexion nodded, no words coming to him. The sun was setting in a haze of pinks and oranges, reds and blues and he was sure he had never seen anything so beautiful before. Nothing had ever impacted him like this, in all of his years, even before having become a Nobody.

The World That Never Was certainly had no horizon like this.

"I love going on this ride, simply because of this view. I only get to see it a few times a year, and I treasure it like this," Myde continued, still as soft as ever. "I wonder… would I find this as enjoyable when I'm a Nobody?"

Zexion closed his eyes, the sunset now painful to him. "I don't know, Myde. I do know, however, that I'm enjoying it… just like I'm enjoying it with you," he said, turning to look at Myde.

Myde smiled softly. The cart suddenly lurched and the ride started again, carrying them away from the height so far above the ground, where they had been watching the sun set.

Suddenly, Zexion's stomach gave an unhappy gurgle of protest. He wasn't hungry, far from it. He and Myde had been snacking on this and that all day while they wandered through the fair grounds. No, his stomach was protesting the obviously questionable carnival food.

Zexion figured it was from the ball of fluff Myde had made him eat, saying it was something called 'cotton candy'. It had been pure sugar, Zexion knew. Still, even though it had tasted somewhat good, though extremely sweet, his stomach was now violently protesting.

He groaned, hand coming up to press against his stomach, and he swallowed against his suddenly dry throat.

"Myde, I'm not feeling too well, could you hold on," he said to Myde, who was walking away slowly, oblivious to Zexion's obvious discomfort.

Myde turned around. "Zexion?" he asked. "Oh, sure, we can stop. Here's a bench," he said, grabbing hold of Zexion's arm and steering him towards the small wooden seat.

Zexion smiled gratefully and then the two sat there in silence, Zexion trying to hold his intestines down and Myde softly rubbing his back, something he had never thought he'd ever do.

Myde smiled, looking out over the fair grounds and then turned to Zexion.

"Should we head back? It's going to get dark soon and if you're sick I'll want you to get some bed rest."

Zexion swallowed before nodding quickly. "Yes, that sounds like a good plan to me."

The two heaved themselves from the bench, ignoring the creak of the old wood protesting, and walked onward, eventually holding hands.

When the two were near the exit to the fair grounds, Zexion stopped, lightly sniffing the air. His body tensed and he could literally feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise.

"We have to get moving, now," he whispered, tugging on Myde's hand and forcefully moving him to the exit.

"What?" Myde asked, bewildered. "What's the rush?"

"Heartless," was all Zexion said.

"Oh, that's bad."

Zexion looked behind to Myde. "I'm sorry for this, Myde, but it must be done."

Myde looked bewildered. "What has to be done?"

"This," said Zexion before he pushed Myde into a portal, following shortly after.

Myde stumbled a bit before looking around then going back to looking at Zexion, who was stepping through the portal himself and closing it. "I hate this place."

"I'm sure you do," Zexion said, "but it's the quickest way, unfortunately. We have to keep moving."

"I won't object to that."

Myde's hand was slightly sweaty, slightly slippery, and Zexion held on all the tighter, wishing (because wishing is something that Nobodies are very capable of) that they could get out faster, that they could get away quicker.

He opened a new portal and pushed through, forcing Myde through with him. Myde, who had been silent throughout it all, gave a shiver and sigh at being released from the portal.

He collapsed on his bed, for that was where Zexion had opened the portal to, and looked at Zexion, who was pacing the floor at the front of the bed, occasionally glancing out the window and grimacing at what he saw.

"Zexion?" he questioned, hands coming up to press at his arms, rubbing up and down. He felt so cold and clammy. He hadn't felt this bad the first time he had gone through the portal: would it get worse if he went through again? Myde didn't want to find out.

"Myde, this is nothing, don't worry about it," Zexion said, coming up and dragging a hand through Myde's hair. He bent down and kissed his forehead. "Why don't you get some sleep, okay? Going through Betwixt and Between is not good for your heart."

Myde just nodded, feeling no need to argue. This day had gone so differently than he had expected and planned. He hadn't planned on it ending with him falling asleep without Zexion and certainly not this early, but he couldn't help it. Sleep was dragging him under slowly but surely.

Before he was completely under, his hand shot out and grabbed at Zexion's wrist. "Love…you," he murmured before letting go, his hand falling down to the covers, eyes slipping shut.

Zexion bowed down and kissed Myde's nose, hand rubbing through Myde's hair. "I love you, too," he said, wishing with everything in him that he could actually mean it.

He left the bedroom, clicking the light off as he went, and then hurried down the stairs to the kitchen, where he grabbed a glass and filled it with cold tap water.

His throat worked up and down as he drank the water, swallowing with gusto.

"I'm assuming you know then, already," said a voice from behind him.

Zexion turned around, setting the glass down on the counter with a clink. He gripped the cold granite and looked Axel in the eyes.

"Know what?" he asked cautiously, nothing but guarded curiosity slipping through his tone.

"That there's more Heartless around than usual," Axel said, shrugging slightly, not at all fooled by Zexion's front. But, if that's what he wanted, then by all means, Axel would continue the farce.

Zexion's eyes slipped to the ground, ideas racing through his brain, each one more scattered and useless than the last.

"I talked to Saïx, or, rather, I heard him talk with Xemnas," Axel went on, looking down at his fingers, picking at a non-existent patch of dirt. "He seems to think that the time for Myde's demise is at hand and that we should prepare for his induction, should everything work as planned."

Zexion's head reared. "Myde can't become a Nobody! I won't let him!"

"Do you really think that you can reverse destiny?" Axel scoffed. "You can try running, but there's nowhere that the Heartless haven't reached."

"Then why warn me!?" Zexion snarled in an uncharacteristic display of emotion.

To this, Axel could only shrug. "Who knows? Perhaps my own sick amusement? Either way, you have to make a choice. You can try running, like I said. Who knows? It might work."

"What other choice do I have!?" I can't let him become a Nobody: he doesn't deserve to not feel."

Axel smirked. "Are you sure part of the reason is because you're afraid you'll lose this mockery of emotion if you were to lose him?"

Zexion turned around. "Of course that's not part of the reason," he said softly, although he felt a little whisper in the back of his mind that told him he was a liar. "No matter, though, Myde's more important."

"Well, I suppose I've done all I came to do," Axel said. "I can't help you any further. You're on your own now, for what you choose to do."

Axel disappeared into a portal, waving slightly at Zexion before disappearing completely.

Zexion cursed, the swear coming off his tongue like acid, heavy and noxious. Of course he had noticed the increased Heartless: he would not have dared dragging Myde through Betwixt and Between if he had not been alarmed at the sight of so many. Setting Myde upon that place more than once had dangerous repercussions, mostly dealing with Myde's heart weakening from the constant assault of Darkness.

He knew that they were here for Myde's heart. Not just Myde's, but any that would do. But Myde's was shining and strong, thus more desirable to them. It wasn't even a case of Myde being susceptible to them anymore, to falling to the prey of Darkness: they would forcibly take his heart if they had to. Zexion knew they would stop at nothing to reach their goal: they were, after all, Heartless.

But he knew that he'd have to try; have to try everything he'd ever learned, every smart he'd ever acquired, in order to ensure Myde's safety. He wasn't going to go down without a fight.

But he'd wait: the Heartless wouldn't come through the house yet. He'd give Myde time to rest before he went through with such a heavy action.

He'd have to tell Myde that he'd have to give everything in his life up and run away. The Heartless would follow, of course, but Zexion was sure that they'd beat them. Zexion was not the strongest fighter in the Organization by any means but he wasn't a push-over.

Zexion hurried up the stairs, coming to stop at the doorjamb to Myde's room. He stared in at the boy sleeping on top of his covers and felt a smile tug at his lips. His shoes were still on his feet. Zexion crossed over to the bed and very gently tugged at Myde's shoes and socks, removing them. He then dragged the blanket that rested at the foot of Myde's bed and draped it over him.

He climbed into bed and rested his body next to Myde's. "I'll protect you at the cost of my own life," he whispered, his voice sounding as though it was loud and ringing through the silence of the bedroom. "I can promise you that, Myde. You're all I have left and anyone or anything is a fool to think I'd give you up so easily."

He brushed a hand through Myde's hair, lingering at a slight scar creased into a wrinkle at the side of his forehead and completely covered by hair. "I swear that I'll get the chance to find out where this came from, along with anything else in your life: we'll have the time, I promise."

Zexion smiled slightly and dropped his hand on the bed, closing his eyes. It was no simple matter to fall asleep, but, when he did, his dreams were plagued with visions of yellow eyes and claws dripping with thick darkness.

* * *

A/N: So... down to the last chapter, which hopefully won't take as long to write, since I already have nearly two thousand words of it written. I'm so sorry for this chapter. I had a lot more planned for this but nothing seemed to come out right and, for having waited over a year for me to update, this really isn't good enough. Still, I want to thank any of my readers, both old and new (if any of the old still want to read by now), because it was you guys that even motivated me to finish this chapter at all. Thank you.

**Review Corner: TwoTailedRayn, flyfloyd, thegreatwhitewolf, SavvyLovesYaoi, kate avalanche, 13loves8loves9loves6, TheaBlackthorn, Erethil, DucttapedCheshireCat, Crystal Royale, ZexionVI 008, Riku-stalker, youngnozomi, Lyless and Lockesilver, What About Today, Crazeh Fangirl, Micro chibi baka san, Twisted Reflection, MokieChan, DannieKay, Arai Yuudai, shibara1310, Valinda Blade, Fyrdel, Seania, Bokmal14, Slothy Girl, Lillian.**

Thank you guys so much. You really bolstered me through a hard year and you kept me working at it, when I felt that I'd never get through. So, thank you.


	20. The End of the Beginning

Disclaimer: Even after two years, I still don't own it. Well, I suppose I'm just going to have to write something, have it be popular enough to warrant fanfiction on it, and then I can write fanfiction on it and I'll be able to say it is mine! So take that, copyright laws!

A/N: Yes, this is it, the end of this story. I'll let you get to it. Thanks go to **kate avalanche** for a wonderful beta job, as always.

**_

* * *

Chapter Twenty: The End of the Beginning

* * *

_**

Zexion was unable to sleep. Myde was passed out still, the drain from the darkness covered corridor still taking its toll on him. He lay on the bed, still beside Myde, and just watched him sleep, knowing that when he woke up, they'd have to leave, for good.

He sighed. Even though he hadn't had any rest of his own, he knew he wasn't going to be able to sleep. The dreams plagued him, dreams that he shouldn't have been having, dreams that he knew were going to keep at him until all of this was over and done with. So, instead of staying idle and waiting for Myde to awaken, he decided instead to slip out of the bed, padding over to Myde's closet and pulling out a satchel he had seen Myde put there once before.

It wasn't very big but he knew it would have to do. He gathered up some of Myde's clothing, stuffing it all in, leaving as much room as he could for the other basic necessities. Once he was done with that, he moved downstairs, heaving the satchel onto his shoulder. He placed it on the kitchen table and then moved over to the counter, picking up the glass from the night before and placing it in the sink.

He then went to the refrigerator and started to pull out the makings for sandwiches, along with drinks and some fruits. He prepared the sandwiches, bagging them up and placing them in the satchel, along with all of the drinks he felt okay with taking and all of the fruit. All of it was perishable, except for the few water bottles he'd brought, but he had hopes it would last them the few days before they would need to find civilization.

What else could he take? He mused, looking over to the pantry and gathering up some of the canned food, searching and finding the manual can opener that he knew Myde's parents never bothered using and probably wouldn't miss. Not like they'd miss their son, of course.

Zexion knew that he should care more about taking Myde away from his parents, but he was a Nobody, and while he liked Myde's parents, he knew Myde had a better chance of survival if they left. He also knew that it was more likely that they would be safe if Myde wasn't there to tempt the Heartless anymore than they already were.

He knew it was a long shot, but he didn't know what else to do. Myde would lose his heart if they stayed, and there was no chance that he would become a Nobody if he did. Zexion couldn't take any kind of chance, not when it meant losing Myde. Zexion huffed. He knew Axel was partially correct when he had uncovered part of why Zexion was so averse to letting Myde lose his heart.

He was being selfish. He didn't want to find out if, when Myde lost his heart, Zexion would lose the only connection to feelings he'd ever had. While it was cruel, and extremely selfish, Zexion couldn't help but worry and wonder. He wanted to love Myde, and if they didn't have hearts, he couldn't love him. He didn't want to lose this… any of this.

Zexion gripped at the edge of the counter, turning his eyes towards the ceiling, where he knew Myde was above, sleeping peacefully, unable to even think of what was going to happen when he awoke. Zexion didn't know what to do. He glanced towards the satchel. He moved towards it, picking it up from its spot on the table and then he unceremoniously dumped it on the ground, slipping into a chair.

Perhaps it would be best to ask Myde what he felt. Would he care about losing his heart? Would he even want to leave his parents and his life? Zexion knew that if they stayed, Myde would die. But maybe Myde would take that chance if it meant staying where he was comfortable.

Zexion placed his elbow on the table and cupped his head with his open palm. The thoughts were swirling through his head faster than he had time to really process them. For all of his brains, and all of his intelligence, and his ability to think of any solution, it meant nothing when he couldn't come up with any plausible solution when he really needed it.

All he knew was that it would be Myde's decision. He got up, rummaging around in the drawers throughout the kitchen, searching until he found a box of matches, stuffing them in the satchel as well. He wished there were more, but beggars couldn't be choosers, after all. He then went into the hallway, going towards the closet that held their older blankets, gathering a few and rolling them up and stuffing them in the bag as well.

The bag was so full that he had some difficulty zipping it closed, but eventually he succeeded, dropping it back on the ground when he was done. He left it there and went up the stairs, turning into Myde's room and dropping down at the desk, looking at the sheets of paper still scattered across its surface from the night before last, when he had been working on a report for the Organization.

He picked up a piece of paper and read over the words he had so meticulously written down on the paper. It seemed like so long ago, writing this report. He was nearly done, too. He had only to finish and send it in to Xemnas. But was there any point now? What would happen about the Organization? Would his taking Myde be considered an act of treason?

He knew what would happen then. Axel would most likely be ordered to have him erased. That definitely wasn't conducive to his plans, and he was sure Axel would do it in a second if he wanted to. He set the piece of paper down, even more thoughts racing through his mind. He hadn't thought of the Organization until just then.

He had no qualms about standing in the way of the Organization's plans for Myde. He didn't really feel it necessary that they have more members anyway: why keep track of people who could just live normally otherwise? Why recruit them? For having been one of the Original Six, Zexion had never been privy to the inner workings of the Organization, something that only Xemnas and Saïx had any true inkling about.

Was Myde at all important to their plans? Would Kingdom Hearts even really give them their hearts?

Zexion put down the paper. He didn't know anything, it seemed, only that Myde wasn't going to suffer through this endless Nothingness like Zexion had had to, not if Zexion had anything to say about it.

* * *

It seemed to Myde that he had only just shut his eyes when he was being shaken awake violently.

"Myde," was hissed in his ear. "Myde, wake up! You must wake up, now!"

"Nnnn…," he grumbled out, burrowing underneath the curtains. "Five…more…minutes…."

"No, no more minutes, this is urgent, you must wake up."

Myde groaned before shucking the covers, slowly sitting up and blinking blearily at Zexion, who looked tired and slightly frazzled, not at all like the well-put-together-Zexion Myde was used to.

"Zexion?" he asked. "What's going on?"

Zexion seemed to hesitate before leaning over and kissing Myde. It was like he was pouring all of him into the kiss, their lips rubbing together dryly, with no tongue. Myde's hands came up to cup Zexion's face, lips parting. He was thoroughly confused. Zexion didn't often initiate a kiss and he certainly didn't look half dead when doing so.

Zexion drew back slowly, not wanting to part from Myde. "Myde," he began, voice raspy and low, "remember the Heartless from last night?"

Myde, confused and showing it, nodded slowly. "Yeah….," he said hesitantly.

"There were," Zexion started, "a lot more Heartless there last night than usual. Perhaps it was due to the amount of people at the fair, but no matter what, it was more Heartless than I felt comfortable dealing with."

Myde fisted the sheets, feeling his heart clench at what he knew Zexion was hinting at. "Is this… it, then?" he whispered. His palms dripped sweat onto the soft cloth.

"It doesn't have to be."

"How?"

Zexion drew in a breath. "I think if we were to leave, right now, then we'd have a better chance of your heart staying intact."

"And if I don't?" he asked, fear gripping at his insides.

Zexion shook his head. "It's not safe here; not for anyone. Your heart is strong; strong and pure. The Heartless desire it very much, more so than they would any normal heart. If they scent you, they will stop at nothing to get you."

"What about my family?"

"Heartless are not picky creatures. They will want your heart more than others, but they won't go after just yours."

"So if I left… I'd be keeping my family safe?"

Zexion reached over and grabbed one of Myde's hands, causing him to release his death grip on his sheets. "I cannot say for certain whether or not they would be safe. I'd like to believe so, since the Heartless will most likely follow us, but Heartless are not known for leaving hearts behind."

"What if…," Myde scrambled to say, "what if… we stayed and fought? Would we be able to?"

Zexion shook his head sadly. "I am not the strongest fighter in the Organization. My specialties lie in stealth and illusions. And Heartless are not able to die, not by the means I have. I can kill a Heartless, but the hearts forming the Heartless would merely form another Heartless. There's no means of actually getting rid of them, not one that anyone can use."

This was too much for Myde to handle. Slipping his hand out of Zexion's, he pushed his way out of the bed and scooped a towel off the ground. "Is there time for a shower?"

Zexion nodded.

Myde let out a breath. "Okay, good. I'll just… uh… I'll just think about this while getting cleaned."

"Very well then," Zexion said.

Myde gently closed the door to the bathroom, sliding down to sit on the toilet quietly. If Zexion had a heart, Myde knew this would be where he would be hurt. And, honestly, Myde didn't blame Zexion, if he were to feel that way. Myde was hesitating about running away with Zexion. If the roles were switched, Myde was sure he'd be in the same category as Zexion. Then again, the roles weren't switched, and it was Myde alone who had to deal with this: Myde alone who felt at all hurt.

Zexion was asking him to leave his family, his home. Myde would have to part with everything he held dear, without even saying goodbye, all because of some creature that should never have existed. Were the Heartless really that destructive?

Was his family really in danger if he stayed? But Myde just couldn't bear the thought of leaving them. What if he never saw them again?

Myde sighed, reaching over and turning on the tap to the shower, letting steam filter through the closed bathroom.

* * *

Zexion sat with a cup of hot chocolate at the kitchen table, staring at the satchel stuffed to the brim with the necessities he had picked. He felt… weird. Like an ache in his chest that just couldn't go away. It had started when he'd told Myde that he'd have to leave his family and it hadn't gone away since. It was like his chest was tightening, like he was scared.

But Zexion was just being silly. He was silly for even thinking he was silly.

He took a sip of the hot chocolate, hands cradling the mug protectively, his eyes still trained on the bag. What would it take, he wondered, to get Myde to leave? Did he really want to rip Myde away from his family, his home, his life; on the off chance that running could work?

It wasn't really all that hard for him to say yes. Then again, the only thing that kept him here was Myde: he had no attachments like Myde did.

His hands clenched tighter around the mug. He set the cup down with a click and stood up, moving out to stand on the deck in the backyard. He'd do anything if it meant keeping Myde safe. He had no attachments, no consequences, and no feelings of guilt to rein him in; nothing except for Myde.

And he had a feeling that Myde was going to pull away. Leaving his family would be hard: probably too hard. Zexion couldn't really… blame him. Would he have wanted to leave his family had the option been made to him so long ago? Zexion couldn't really remember, emotions being something so distant and far away. He barely remembered what his mother and father looked like.

But he remembered how he'd felt about them. He remembered the pain and anguish he had felt at being the cause of their deaths. Would Myde feel the same if he stayed? What if Myde stayed and the Heartless came and destroyed everything? Would Myde be okay with the thought that he might have prevented it all if he'd left?

Then again, there was every chance that the Heartless would come even if Myde left: they weren't discriminatory in anyway and there were millions of Heartless. Plenty to wipe out this entire world: forget Myde's neighborhood.

Still, it was all up to Myde. Zexion could not force Myde to choose. To Zexion's analytically and logically gifted mind, the choice was clear: go with Myde and escape. Running was not cowardly if done for the greater good of all involved.

The sound of feet scraping along stone and the racket of a door opening alerted Zexion to Myde's presence. He turned around and just stared at Myde, who was toweling his hair dry, the strands falling down and curling around his face.

"Hello," he said, his voice slightly raspy. Myde smiled faintly, hand still rubbing the towel through his hair.

"Hey," Myde answered.

Myde stepped forward, coming up beside Zexion and laying his hands on the railing, towel slipping from his fingers and pooling on the ground of the deck.

Zexion hesitated. "Have you… made your choice?" he asked.

Myde sighed, shoulders coming up in a shrug. "I don't know," he replied. "Everything's just this horrible jumble and I can't make sense of anything."

"We don't have much time," Zexion said. His hand came up and covered Myde's hand. "I don't want to lose you."

Myde stared at Zexion. He was baring his soul, Myde knew that. "I don't want to be a Nobody, but I don't know if I can leave my family. I'm all my parents have," Myde whispered, hand curling around Zexion's.

"If you don't leave, you'll become a Nobody and have to leave your family anyway," Zexion roughly said.

"There's no guarantee that running will save me anyway," Myde returned, turning to face Zexion, who had also moved.

"We have a better chance of you and your family surviving if the Heartless run after us, instead of staying here like sitting ducks!"

Myde smiled. "It's a big decision," he said, sounding more mature than ever before. "It's not something that I can decide to do irrationally. There are so many factors, so many things that could go wrong no matter which way we chose to go."

"I don't understand!" Zexion said. "It's clear to me that we should leave: it would be best for everybody! Why don't you understand that!?"

Myde smiled. "Because I'm human; I have emotions and memories and a heart that ties me to things. I'm sentimental and emotional and I love my family and leaving them, especially with them not knowing or understanding would destroy them. You don't have any of that, Zexion. You can't understand."

Zexion stiffened. All that Myde said was true. Zexion didn't have parents anymore, and it had been a long time since he'd know them, and the fact that he was heartless and thus emotionless didn't help him remember them. He didn't really remember what it was to love. So why was he so interested in keeping Myde alive?

Why did he say that he loved Myde, when he couldn't love him?

Zexion backed away from Myde a step. "You're…right," he said slowly. "I don't understand: I can't understand. I'm selfish, aren't I?" Zexion paused, thinking everything over in his head. Myde could practically see the cogs turning behind his eyes. Zexion sighed. "Alright, we'll stay. We'll fight them here."

Myde smiled. "Thank you," he said, hands coming up to grab onto Zexion's and squeezing. "I love you, you know that, right?"

Zexion raised his eyes to look into Myde's. "Yes, I do. I just wish I loved you in return."

Tears started to form in Myde's eyes. "I think you do, in your own Nobody way."

Zexion lowered his eyes. "We have to prepare for the fight. They won't stay away for long."

Myde almost started to protest as Zexion slipped away from his grasp, moving to go to the door leading back into the kitchen, but the words died on his lips as he saw the way Zexion's shoulders slumped, as though all hope had left him.

Zexion had made a difficult decision; one that was weighing on him with every step he took going away from Myde.

When Zexion returned to the kitchen, he hefted the satchel and set it to the side. He wouldn't unpack it just yet, knowing that there might still be time to leave if Myde changed his mind. Zexion had accepted Myde's wishes, but that didn't mean he'd have to like them or still plan things differently.

The chances of them winning a fight were slim, and Zexion had no one to help them. Zexion knew that Axel would be of no help, since he wasn't much of a fighter either and he'd already done his good deed in warning Zexion of the Heartless and Saïx's prediction.

So, everything was just up to him, because Myde didn't know the first thing about fighting. Zexion was no slouch in the department, he was, after all, a Nobody, but when push came to shove, he just wasn't all that great at it, dealing more with experiments than anything else. Zexion just didn't see how things would work out for the best.

But Myde had been correct. Zexion didn't understand how hard it might be to leave family. While he didn't like what the cost was, he was going to make Myde happy, no matter what. And if Myde didn't want to leave his parents, than Zexion wasn't going to make him, even if it tortured him to know what was going to happen.

Myde stepped through the door into the kitchen and came up behind Zexion, wrapping his arms around the older man. "It'll be okay, right?" he asked, voice low and shaky. "Everything will be just fine."

Zexion grasped at the arms encircling his shoulders. "Yes," he reassured Myde. "Everything will be just fine."

* * *

They sat in Myde's room, every nerve in their bodies tense with waiting.

Neither had said a word in over an hour, choosing to just idly sit and wait for something. Myde worked on homework, since that was one responsibility he felt he couldn't get out of, and Zexion sat on the bed, reading a book he had found while rummaging through the living room mere minutes before.

Truthfully, though, if one were to look closely enough, they'd realize that Zexion's book was upside down and that he was flipping pages far too quickly to actually be reading them and that Myde's textbook hadn't changed from the page it had been on for the last hour, and that Myde's notebook held only one problem, halfway done and apparently never-ending.

Each was too preoccupied with their thoughts to really pay attention to anything they were pretending they were doing.

Myde sighed, setting down his pencil and pushing his chair back.

Zexion raised his head from his book, silently watching as Myde stood up and started pacing around the room.

Finally, it seemed as though Myde had had enough. "Why aren't they coming!?"

"They?" Zexion asked.

"The Heartless! Why aren't they coming!? Shouldn't they have besieged the house by now!?" Myde asked, near hysteria.

"Besieged?" Zexion repeated, slightly amused.

Myde turned and stared at Zexion with a flat stare. "You know what I mean."

Zexion put the book down. "They're going to come when they feel like it. It's not as though this is planned out. There's no guarantee that they'll even come today or tomorrow. It's odd, though," he mused, "the Heartless don't care about rules or waiting. They should have taken your heart by now, really. So why are they waiting?"

Myde frowned, and came to sit down on the edge of the bed, still looking at Zexion. "Did I really make a bad choice, deciding to stay here?"

"It…," Zexion paused, "it probably wouldn't have mattered, really. We can fight all we want and run away all we want, but the Heartless are everywhere."

"Then why was it so important that we leave?" Myde asked.

Zexion shrugged lightly. "It probably would have only made me feel better, I suppose; as though I was actually doing something to keep you alive, instead of just waiting around and doing nothing."

"I'm… sorry," Myde whispered.

Zexion's head jerked in slight surprise. Then, he smiled softly. "No, don't be sorry. I may not understand, but I think that once upon a time, I could have, when I was still human. For that alone, I will accept your wishes and we shall stay here."

Myde smiled, scooting up the bed and snuggling up into Zexion's chest. "It'd be alright… to say that I'm scared, right?" he whispered, head turned down from Zexion's face.

"I'd be scared, too: it's not a sign of weakness."

"I feel like I'm betraying my parents no matter what way I choose," Myde suddenly said.

Zexion mused for a minute. "I can see why you'd say that: if you left, they'd be worried and you wouldn't know if you'd ever see them again, and if you stayed, you're potentially putting them in danger. I can understand why that would be a difficult decision to make."

"We should leave, shouldn't we? Draw the Heartless away from here and away from them: that would be best, wouldn't it?"

"I can't say," Zexion said. "Right now, they're away, and it's possible that there are no Heartless where they are at this time. It's also possible that even if they came home, they'd be in no relative danger."

"So it's all just possibilities and uncertainties at this point."

"Not everything in life is statistical and, although it pains me somewhat to say this, not everything can be categorized on a data list. Heartless are one of those things. There are too many factors in everything."

Myde smiled. "Thanks for the math lesson."

"I'm happy to be of service."

"Everything just seems so… open ended, I guess you could say," Myde went on. "I'm so scared but at the same time, I wonder why I am. And then, the Heartless should have been here already, but they're not, and that's something that's making me even more scared. Why does my life have to be complicated?"

Zexion smiled. "I suppose things would have been easier for you had you not fallen for me."

"Yeah, everything's your fault, you know that, right?"

"I'll accept the blame in this case, though, honestly, if I weren't here, you'd probably have already been turned."

Myde sat up. "Really?" he asked.

Zexion nodded. "It's possible that the Heartless are staying back right now for the simple reason that I'm here. It won't keep them away for forever, but for now, it might be the reason. I am, after all, a higher entity than they are."

"But they're mindless creatures. What would they care about you?"

"They may be mindless," Zexion said, "but they can feel things. That's what beckons them to some places and not to others. If they can feel your heart, then they can surely feel that I don't have one. They don't really understand what I am, so they may be staying back due to that, but it won't last for long. Your heart is too tempting to pass up."

Myde stared. "That didn't really make me feel any better."

"I'm sorry, forgive me."

Myde lied down, this time simply resting on a pillow instead of Zexion. "Something just doesn't feel right. Like there's this tension in the air."

"That's most likely due to your apprehension."

"How can you be so calm?"

"It might have something to do with the fact that I'm heartless and emotionless."

Myde huffed, pulling another pillow down over his eyes. "I don't know why I keep forgetting that little tidbit."

Zexion made to say something, when, suddenly, there came a scratchy noise from below. Just like that, any ease that had been in their stances evaporated, leaving behind tense nerves and silence.

"What?" Myde whispered. "Is that…?"

Zexion made to grab at Myde's hand. "Prepare yourself," he said, hand gripping tighter at Myde's, knuckles turning white with the effort.

A bang came from below, as though something heavy had been dumped on the ground. Myde's hand wrapped around Zexion's, fear etched across his face. More scratching noises came from below, along with another bang, and suddenly Zexion began to wonder as to why nothing was coming upstairs.

Shouldn't the Heartless have been rising from the floorboards or something like that by now?

Zexion's shoulders slackened when he realized that it could not be Heartless.

"Myde?"

Myde started. "Mom? They're not due back 'til tomorrow."

Zexion stood up from the bed. "Better them than the Heartless, though this does make things more complicated."

Myde nodded, moving over to Zexion. "I'm gonna go downstairs, okay?"

"Yes, that's fine."

Myde smiled before leaning down and slowly fitting his lips to Zexion's. The kiss was chaste, of sorts, at least. There was no tongue, but Myde's lips moved passionately. Then, they parted.

"I can't believe I don't do that more, especially now that time is so precious," Myde stated before leaving the room.

Zexion touched his lips with a few of his fingers. I want to feel something… something so much greater than this half-emotion. Myde doesn't deserve to live this non-existence.

He closed his eyes, sighing deeply before turning and leaving the room as well, going to the lower level and seeing Myde's mother envelope him in a huge hug.

"Momma, what are you doing here? You're not due back until tomorrow," Myde said, the slight trace of fear still evident in his voice.

"Mmm, I just couldn't stay away for longer. I missed you too much. Your father thinks I'm irrational but, well, I couldn't help but feel that something was wrong."

"You are irrational," said Tom, Myde's father, who was struggling through the front door with luggage, evidence of the earlier bangs in the other luggage bags that were scattered across the front hall.

"Oh, hush," she said.

Zexion smiled before heading over to Tom. "May I help you, sir?"

Tom grunted, before shaking his head. "No, that's the last of it, fortunately. Thankfully, she only brought a small amount this time."

This was a small amount? Zexion had never seen so many luggage bags before in his life.

"Ah, Zexion!" Zexion's thoughts were cut off as he was suddenly enveloped in a warm hug. "It's so great to see you. I hope you're keeping Myde happy," she said, releasing him from the hug, her voice lowering slightly towards the end, as though threatening him once again.

"Momma, he keeps me plenty happy, so hush," Myde said, acting as though nothing else was wrong in his life.

His mother seemed to fall for it. "Well, that's great," she said, smiling again. "Myde, why don't you and your father take my luggage upstairs while I go and start some lunch for us?"

"I suppose that's me being volun-told?" Myde said, smirking.

"Oh, you're a smart one, aren't you?" she replied back.

"Alright, alright, come on, Dad," he said, hefting up to large pieces of luggage and trekking up the stairs, Tom falling soon after.

"Zexion," Andrea said, arm coming to fall around his shoulders, "why don't you help me cook lunch?"

"Of course, ma'am," he said, diplomatic smile stretched across his face. It wasn't as though he hated Myde's mother, he just sometimes felt that her intuition led her to places that she really should not have had to go.

This was one such time.

"So, Zexion, how's Myde been?" she asked as she gathered bread and lunch meats from the refrigerator.

"He's been fine, as far as I know," Zexion replied, doing as she instructed and taking out a pan from beneath the stove and setting it on the burner, turning on the heat.

"Good, that's good," she murmured, setting about making grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, slathering butter across the slabs of bread. "Because, to be honest, I've been worried about him for some time now, as I'm sure you can realize and understand."

Zexion paused in his task of melting a pad of butter in the skillet. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, it's no secret that two weeks before now, Myde was in a bit of a morose mood," she said, getting straight to the point. "It's also no secret that during that time we didn't see you at all, let alone with Myde."

"Go on," Zexion said, returning to his task of butter melting, sliding the pad around as it melted slowly.

"I know that couples fight: it's just the way things are. Get too complacent and then there's no spark, no love; it's natural. Tom and I fight. But we always make up in the end, because what we fight about is usually so petty."

She slapped cheese and ham on the bread, slathering more butter on more bread slices and then putting them together. She then moved over to where Zexion was and stuck on of the sandwiches in the pan, the sizzle of heated butter emitting from the skillet.

"But Myde was so despondent, and then suddenly he wasn't, and you were back and things were normal again."

"What does any of that matter now, ma'am?" Zexion asked, slightly confused.

"It matters because it was so sudden," she said, flipping the sandwich before turning away from the cooking and staring at Zexion.

"Something is going on between the two of you and it's not normal. I can… feel it. Call it mother's intuition or something. I didn't like leaving for the last few days and it's just been getting worse."

She turned back around, taking the sandwich out of the pan, putting it on a plate before slapping more butter in the pan and then placing another uncooked sandwich in the pan.

"That's why I came back when I did. I have this fear that Myde's in danger and that it's all connected to you and that I will not allow."

"Danger? Myde will come to no danger through me," Zexion lied, teeth gritting together slightly.

"If only it were so simple to believe you, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I don't want to think that I let someone dangerous in my house and into my son's life. You don't seem dangerous, but appearances can be deceiving. I want you to know right now that I won't stand for Myde getting hurt."

Zexion just nodded, letting the woman's concentration return to cooking. He slipped out of the kitchen, back resting against the wall outside the kitchen, breath coming in soft pants. Was it really that easy: that easy to see through everything?

She might not know exactly what was going on, but she could guess and she didn't like it. He had to tell Myde.

"Hey," Myde said, drawing Zexion's attention away from his inner thoughts. Myde smiled his face sweaty and flushed.

Zexion looked at him. "Myde, she suspects something," he said, coming up to Myde and grabbing his hand, pulling him upstairs.

"Huh?" Myde said, letting himself be pulled along. "What are you talking about?"

"She knows something's wrong, and she's basically threatening me to leave you alone. She thinks I'm dangerous to you," Zexion said, voice urgent and low.

"Well, technically, she'd be right. I mean, it is because of you and your kind that I'm in this position," Myde said matter-of-factly.

"No, you don't get it: she's going to make me leave you alone. If you're alone, with no one to protect you…," he trailed off.

Myde's face clenched in sudden realization, and he muttered, "Then I'd be easy pickings, is that what you're saying?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Zexion whispered. "We can't be separated: not now, not when it's so dangerous on your own."

"Then…," Myde said, eyes suddenly haunted, "then I guess we'll have to leave, won't we?"

Zexion nodded. "I can see no other way of staying together, and it's imperative that we stay together. Who else would protect you?"

Myde shuddered, his breath coming in quick short gasps. A tear slipped out. "Maybe, maybe I can convince her that everything's going to be fine?" he said, unwilling to leave.

"It's not going to work: she kept saying something about mother's intuition and something being not normal and that she wouldn't stand for someone dangerous being in her house and with her son. She thinks I'm a danger to you and she's telling me she won't let me be with you."

Myde's breath shuddered in. "Okay, okay, we'll leave. We'll leave, and they'll be safe and everything will be okay."

Zexion's breath whooshed out; he hadn't even realized that he'd been holding it in. "Thank you, okay," he said, head calming down. "Thank you." He wrapped his arms around Myde, burrowing in his shirt. "Everything will be okay now; we'll just have to leave as soon as we can."

Myde nodded, squeezing Zexion tightly. "Okay. We'll just… eat lunch with them and then we'll go."

"That's fine, we'll eat, and then we'll go."

Zexion couldn't stand the thought of losing him.

* * *

To Myde, lunch had been a painful affair. He and Zexion had kept appearances up, and he had joked and smiled with his mother and father, enjoying the sandwiches that his mother had cooked to perfection yet again, but inside, everything was twisting in fear and tension.

Nothing was going the way it was supposed to. He was supposed to have care-free days like the one yesterday for forever. There weren't supposed to be such things as Heartless and Nobodies and bodies that moved with no hearts and hearts that moved with no bodies, and there weren't supposed to be things such as being unable to feel any emotion. Humans were humans, animals were animals, they all lived, and they all died; it was supposed to be a never ending cycle that he was supposed to be a part of.

Supernatural things didn't exist. Other worlds weren't supposed to exist, and magic was only a trick and vampires were only concocted up by authors that wrote like teenagers. People didn't live on infinitely, their bodies never aging. It just didn't happen.

Life was not a story written for amusement.

But Myde was being disillusioned of everything he had ever believed in, and having to leave it all behind to go forth into a new world where everything was different was a terrifying thought: one that he didn't want to have to think about and wanted to avoid.

But he couldn't anymore. Zexion had been nice in letting him stay, but with his mother on to everything, it was no longer safe for anyone to stay here. He had to leave; he had no choice. He couldn't endanger everybody.

After lunch had ended, he and Zexion stood in his bedroom. He had kissed his mother and hugged her, and he had hugged his father, squeezing them both so tightly. They were sure to think something was wrong, but he just couldn't tell them what he was planning.

Beside Zexion's feet lay a black bag, a satchel that Myde remembered his mother had bought him many years before when they'd gone on a trip.

"Are you ready?" Zexion asked, whispering.

Myde started to nod before shaking his head. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the tears to stay away. There was every chance that he could come back. This wasn't goodbye forever: it just couldn't be. He'd swear until the end that he'd come back; he wouldn't give up.

"Take your time," Zexion murmured.

Myde opened his eyes, breath lodging in his throat, causing a painful swelling. He hated crying. He went over to his desk and rummaged in the desk before extracting a piece of paper, the picture of the beach he'd shown to Zexion. It felt like it had been years since that had happened, not weeks. Why did things always have to change?

He stuck the paper in his jeans pocket. "Alright," he croaked, "I'm ready."

He took Zexion's hand and followed him into the portal of darkness that Zexion had created.

Where they would end up, he didn't know. At this point, he didn't care.

He was anything but ready.

**_

* * *

The End

* * *

_**

A/N: So, after almost two and a half years, I am proud to say that this story is finished. It's, wow, just wow. I've never finished a multi-chapter story before, fan fiction or otherwise, and the fact that I just did fills me with this huge sense of accomplishment. Thank you so much, to everyone for sticking with me throughout this story, to the ones that were here from the very beginning, all the way back in November of 2007, to the ones that just started reading it today, and to everyone in between. Every encouraging word you've ever given me has kept me working through all of my blocks, through all of my down times, and through everything else.

When I started writing, I really had no idea where I was going with this. I had the beginning, and I had the end, and the middle was just this horrible huge gap, and I think in some ways, that gap can be seen, through my shoddy writing at times, to the way that things started to veer from more humorous to dramatic to angsty to everything else I managed to squish into the pages. Myde can be seen as an original character, to some degree, I think, and while I said that I would never write a story about an OC, I suppose in some ways, I kinda just did. So, thank you to everybody, for loving my characterization of what Myde would have been like, and to even loving his mother (I wasn't planning on making her up when I first started, not at all).

So, this really is the end. Sorry it's such a cliffhanger ending. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, this story, and stick around for whatever else I come up with. Thanks.

**Review Corner for Chapter 19: thegreatwhitewolf, Mizu Hoseki, sana-chan9, and To lazy to log in (who are you, by the way?).**


	21. HTLAS Sequel

**When I ended this story two years ago, I ended on a cliffhanger that I swore I would never resolve. I was lying. From the beginning, I had always planned to write a sequel, to give Zexion and Myde their happy ending. Today, exactly five years from when I first posted HTLAS, on the 22nd of November, on a Thanksgiving Thursday, I'm posting the rest of their story. It's highly suggested that you read HTLAS before you begin the new story, either as a newcomer or as someone who read it before, to refresh your memory on what happens in this story. The two are inter-connected and the sequel does not stand alone. I will be referencing both little things and big things and it's a good idea to know what happens in the first. If you liked the ambiguous ending, liked where it ended, then there's no need to read the sequel. But I hope that all of you, like me, want to see them get their happy ending. Thank you to everyone who supported me while I wrote this first story through to the finish and thank you to any new people who will enjoy this for the first time. You all mean so much to me.**


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